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filmage. 

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papier  est  imprim^e  sont  filmis  en  commengant 
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dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peu.ent  dtre 
filmAs  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haul  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

NARRATIVE 


OF 


VOYAGES 


AND 


COMMERCIAL   ENTERPRISES, 


BY 


RICHARD  J.   Cr.KVELAND. 


IN   TWO   VOr,  UMKS. 

VOL.   I. 


CAMBRIDGE: 
PUBLISHED   BY  JOHN   OWEN. 

1842. 


V.I 


P^iilorcd  according  to  Aci  <if  (^oiigrciN.  in  ilic  yciir  liU2,  l>y 

|{l(  IIAIU)    J.    ("r.K.V  KI.ANI), 

ill  liio  {Jerk's  Office  of  tliu  District  Court  of  llii^  Disiriit  of  >f;issacliu.sell5 


C  A  ."MB  R  I  D  G  E  ; 
MKTCAF.K,    KKlTll.    AMI     NKIIOl. 

rlllNTKItS    rO  THK    UNIVmiSlTV. 


PREFACE. 


Us. 


Thi:  charactiii-  of  the  citizens  of  New  England 
for  enterprise  and  indnslry  is  very  generally  ac- 
knowledged. Being,  for  the  most  jiart,  obliged  to 
seek  tiieir  own  fortunes,  they  are  early  accustomed 
to  the  endurance  of  lu'ivations,  and  to  those  indus- 
trious and  frugal  habits,  which  lead  to  competence 
and  wealth.  In  the  pursuit  of  that  independence 
of  wliich  all  are  more  or  less  desirous,  there  have 
been  instances  of  daring  enterprise,  of  persevering 
determination,  of  disregard  of  fatigue  a.  d  sulfering, 
which  are  very  remarkable  ;  but  which  pass  unob- 
served from  their  frequency,  no  less  than  from  the 
unobtrusive  habits  of  the  actor. 

A  simple  account  of  such  enterprises,  drawn  from 
journals  and  letters  written  at  the  time  the  events 
therein  related  occurred,  is  here  given  to  the  public. 

More  than  forty-five  years  have  elapsed  since  the 
first  of  the  voyages  here  narrated  was  undertaken  ; 
and  more  than  twenty  since  the  comjiletion  of  the 
last.  It  is  apparent  that  they  jjossess  but  in  a  small 
degree,  the  power  to  interest,  that  would  have  been 
excited,  had   they  been  published   at  the   period  of 


2'.)4r4 


I 


IV 


r  UK,  FACE, 


their  performance  ;  yet  this  delay  in  their  piibhca- 
tiou  may,  on  some  considerations,  enhance  their 
vahie.  It  may  be  interesting  to  the  young  mer- 
chant to  trace  some  of  the  great  revolutions  in  the 
conmjercc  of  the  world,  which  have  occurred  with- 
in the  above-named  periods  ;  and  those  of  advanced 
age  may  be  induced  to  recm*  to  by-gone  days,  with 
pleasing,  even  if  accompanied  witii  melancholy  as- 
sociations. 

For  several  years  jirecoding  the  date  of  the  first 
of  my  voyages,  the  merchants  of  the  United  States, 
and  particularly  those  of  Salem,  carried  on  an  active 
and  lucrative  commerce  with  the  Isles  of  France 
and  Bourbon,  which  was  continued  up  to  the  pe- 
riod of  the  con([uest  of  those  islands  by  the  British, 
since  which  it  has  nearly  ceased.  That  imjwrtant 
product  of  our  country,  cotton,  which  is  now  its 
greatest  and  most  valuable  article  of  export,  em- 
ploying a  greater  amount  of  tornia'je  than  any  other, 
was  then  unknown  as  an  article  of  export  from  the 
United  States  ;  and  the  little  reipiired  for  the  con- 
sumption of  our  domestic  fabrics,  was  imported  from 
Dcmerara,  Surinam,  and  the  West  India  Islands. 
The  trade  to  the  Northwest  Coast  of  America,  which 
for  about  twenty-five  years  was  actively  and  almost 
exclusively  pursued  froiu  Boston,  on  an  extensive 
scale,  and  to  great  advantage,  has  for  some  years 
been  abandoned,  from  the  scarcity  and  high  price  of 
furs,  caused  by  the  competition  of  the  Russians,  who 
have  gradually  advanced  their  j)osts  far  to  the  south 
of  those  places  where  my  cargo  was  collected  ;  and 
wMiere   they  were  not   then  seen.     The  sealing  voy- 


I 


I'  K  i:  1"  A  C  K. 


aces,  which  worn  |irosccut(Ml  tnost  actively  from 
New  Haven,  Norwich,  and  Stoningtoii,  })riiicipally 
to  the  Island  of  Masafiicra,  and  by  which  sndden  and 
large  fortunes  were  made,  have,  for  many  years  past, 
been  i)roductive  of  little  coinparative  advantage  to 
the  fnw  yet  engaged  n  them  ;  and  this  in  conse- 
quence of  the  animal's  being   almost  annihilated. 

Oiu'  cargoes  from  China,  which  were  formerly 
paid  for  in  these  ftn's.  and  in  Spanish  dollars,  are 
now  procured  for  bills  on  England,  for  opintn,  and 
for  Knropenn  and  American  fabrics.  The  cotton 
and  silk  manufactures  of  Indostan,  constituted  for- 
merly, almost  exclusively,  the  cargoes  of  our  ships 
from  Calcutta,  which  were  [laid  for  in  Spanish  dol- 
lars, and  which  generally  yielded  large  profits.  At 
this  time  our  cotton  fabrics  are  so  much  better  and 
cheaper,  as  entirely  to  have  superseded  the  imjirrta- 
tiou  of  those  ;  and  most  of  the  articles  which  now 
compose  a  cargo  from  Calcutta,  exceptitig  saltpetre 
and  bandanas,  were  then  scarcely  known  there,  as 
articles  of  export  to  this  country.  Bills  on  lOngland 
in  payment  for  these  cargoes,  as  well  as  for  those 
laden  at  other  jiorts  of  India,  have  been  substituted 
for  Spanish  dollars,  which  f(n'mcrly  were  indispensa- 
ble  to  the  prosecution  of  this  trade. 

When  I  first  visited  the  ports  of  Hrazil,  of  (yhili, 
of  Peru,  of  Mexico,  and  of  (Jalifornia,  they  had  been 
for  ages,  and  were  then,  so  exclusively  used  for  their 
own  respective  flags,  that  the  admittance  of  one  of 
a  foreign  nation,  was  granted  only  on  the  most  pal- 
pable  evidence   of  a  necessity,  which   it    would   be 


VI 


PKKFACK. 


iiiliiiuiait  not  to  n-licvc  When  aclniillL'd,  no  indi- 
vidual Ixdoni^ini^  to  lli(3  vessel  was  pcrnntled  to 
land,  or  to  walk  the  streets  of  llie  eily,  witliout  the 
disagreeable  incnnihrancc  of  a  soldier  following  him; 
hence  the  dilliculty  "f  obtaining  information,  and 
conse(inently  the  meagre  accounts  given  of  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  those  nations. 

'I'hc  revolutions  in  those  countries  wjiich  have 
been  ell'ected  with  so  much  individual  distress,  and 
so  great  loss  of  life!,  though  far  from  having  pro- 
duced the  prosperity  and  hai)|iincss  anticipated  by 
their  most  enlightened  ]>atriots,  have  nevertheless 
caused  their  i)orts  to  })e  thrown  open  for  the  admis- 
sion of  th(!  llags  of  all  nations.  This  has  alibrded 
opportunities  to  strangers  for  visiting  them,  which 
have  been  abundantly  improved  :  and  the  ninnerous 
and  elaborate  accomits  of  them  which  have  been 
given  to  the  world,  within  a  few  years,  by  literary 
men,  who  ])ossesscd  the  roipiisitc  leisure  and  oppor- 
timity  for  the  purpose,  seemed  to  obviate  the  neces- 
sity of  my  attempting  to  enlarge  on  those  subjects. 
Tlie  same  reason  forbade  the  attempt  at  more  than 
cursory  and  ])assing  descriptions  of  couiitries,  cities, 
customs,  and  manners  in  other  parts  of  the  globe, 
visited  by  me  for  objects  exclusively  of  a  commer- 
cial character. 

E(pially,  if  not  even  more  remarkable  than  the 
changes  above  mentioned,  arc  those  observable  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  since  my  first  visit  there  in  the 
year  1790.  Then  the  inliabitants  were  but  little 
elevated  from  the  barbarous  state  in  which  they 
were  found  by  Captain  Cook:  —  now  they  are  com- 


!•  II  i:  I'  A  C  K. 


VII 


parativcly  a  civilized  jieftjile,  sensible  of  the  value 
of  iiislnictioii,  and  eager  to  obtain  it;  cultivating 
tlieir  fields,  and,  by  an  extended  and  increasing  for- 
eign trade,  ali'ording  a  niost  remarkable  instance  of 
the  ameliorating  and  humanizing  cU'ects  of  com- 
merce. 

In  these  days  of  jihilanthropy,  wlien  there  are  so 
many  zealous  advocates  and  active  promoters  of  the 
great  and  truly  benevolent  cause  of  temjerance,  it 
is  proper  and  becoming  in  every  vvellwisher  to  the 
advaiicenuint  of  this  cause,  to  aid  it  in  every  way  in 
his  power.  With  such  iinj)ressions,  and  with  the 
favorable  ojiportiinity  now  presented,  I  should  con- 
sider it  rei)reheiisible  to  withhold  from  the  public, 
a  statement  of  I'acts  relating  to  myself  personally, 
and  which  no  other  consideration  than  tlie  hope 
of  doing  good,  would  induce  me  to  make,  although 
they  may  b(;  viewed  by  many  as  not  the  least  extra- 
ordinary of  the  facts  which  iiave  been  narrated. 

I  am  not,  nor  have  1  ever  been  a  member  of  a 
tem|)erauce  society  ;  but  I  was  a  practical  temper- 
ance man  long  before  such  societies  were  dreamed 
of.  At  the  period  when  1  began  my  nautical  career, 
it  was  a  universally  received  maxim,  that  drinking 
grog  and  chewing  tobacco  were  two  essential  and 
ii:dispensable  retpiisifes  for  making  a  good  seaman. 
So  onmipotent  is  custom,  and  so  powerful  is  satire, 
that  although  the  absurdity  of  such  a  maxim  must 
be  apparent  to  every  one,  I  liave,  nevertheless,  seen 
many  young  men  reneatedly  made  sick  before  over- 
coming the  disgust,  and  some  of  them  afterwards 
became  miserable  drunkards.     As  alcohol  and  tobac- 


VIII 


PnKFACJR. 


CO  wore  in  no  dogroc  less  oflVMisivc  to  me  than  I  had 
evidence  of  tli<;ir  being  to  my  nssoci;ites.  it  apiKTired 
to  nie  ♦hat  to  submit  to  the  rirhciile  rather  than  to 
the  sickness,  was  selecting  the  least  of  tlie  evils,  and 
I  acted   accordingly.  , 

Those  who  may  honor  me  with  a  pornsal  of  my 
narrative  will  perceive,  that  1  have  navit:ated  to  all 
parts  of  t!  world,  from  the  sixtieth  deirree  ol"  south 
latitiidt!,  to  the  sixtieth  degree  north  ;  and  sometimes 
in  vessels  whose  diminntive  size  and  small  nnmber 
of  men  caused  ex[)0snre  to  wcjt  and  cold,  greatly 
surpassing  what  is  nsnally  experienced  in  ships  of 
ordinary  capacity  ;  that  1  have  been  exposed  to  the 
influence  of  the  most  unhealthy  places  ;  at  liatavia, 
where  I  have  seen  whole  crews  prostrate  with  the 
fever,  and  death  makincr  havoc  among  them  ;  at  San 
Bias,  where  tiie  natives  can  stay  only  a  portion  of 
the  year ;  at  the  Havana,  within  whose  walls  I  have 
resided  five  years  consecutively;  that  I  have  sutl'ered 
ca|)tivity,  robbery,  imprisoinnent,  ruin,  and  the  rack- 
ing anxiety  consequent  thereon.  And  yet,  through 
the  whole,  and  to  tlie  present  sixty-eighth  year  of 
my  age,  I  have  never  taken  a  drop  of  spirituous 
liquor  of  any  kind  ;  never  a  glass  of  wine,  of  porter, 
ale,  or  beer,  or  any  beverage  stronger  than  tea  and 
coffee  ;  and,  moreover,  I  have  never  used  tobacco  in 
any  way  whatever ;  and  this,  not  only  without  in- 
jury, but,  on  the  contrary,  to  the  preservation  of  my 
health.  Headache  is  known  to  me  by  name  only ; 
and  excepting  those  fevers,  which  were  prodi.-ed  by 
great  anxiety  and  excitement,  my  life  has  been  free 
from  sickness. 


•■w 


fREFACE. 


IX 


The  following  narrative  will  oiiaMo  tlic  reader  to 
form  a  coinj)arisoti  between  a  seaman's  profession 
and  his  own  ;  and,  possibly,  after  pcrnsing  it,  lie  will 
be  less  distnrbed  by  the  aiuioyances  which  peculiar- 
ly beset  him.  He  will  jKjrceive,  that  the  master  of 
a  merchant  ship,  in  whom  are  nnitcd  the  dnties  of 
navigator  and  factor,  is  subjected  i"  great  care  and 
responsibility,  even  on  ordinary  a' id  well  defined 
voyages.  These  are  greatly  augmented  when  the 
enter[)rise  is  enveloped  in  darknesri  iVctn  the  un- 
kno^vn  jKilitical  state  of  the  coiuitrics  whither  he  is 
destined  ;  from  the  contingencies  which  may  be  pre- 
sented to  him  ;  and  from  the  necessity  of  great  cir- 
cums[)ection,  decision,  and  promi)titudc,  in  the  choice 
of  them.  If  he  is  tiniiil  and  afraid  to  enter  a  |X)rt 
where  there  is  uncertainty  of  a  friendly  reception, 
it  may  cause  the  ruin  of  his  voyage.  If  on  the  con- 
trary, he  is  bold,  and  enters  sncli  port,  confiding  in 
the  protection  of  existing  treaties,  and  the  laws  of 
nations,  he  may  also  become  the  victim  of  arbitrary 
power,  confided  to  unworthy  and  ignorant  individu- 
als. If  success  attend  his  enterprise,  when  returning 
home  with  ample  compensation  for  his  labor,  he  runs 
the  risk  of  having  it  all  snatched  from  him  by  some 
hungry  satellite  of  that  great  high-sea  robber,  termed 
"  His,"  or  "  Her  Majesty."  Thus,  in  addition  to  the 
ordinary  perils  of  hurricanes  and  storms,  of  rocks  and 
shoals,  he  has  to  incur  the  greater  ones  of  the  cupidi- 
ty and  villany  of  man. 

Of  the  ordinary  labor  and  fatigue  attendant  on  the 
profession,  the  same  individual  would  form  opposite 
conclusions   in   dillerent  circumstances.      The  man 


9 


X  PREFACE. 

who  makes  a  winter's  passage  from  Europe  to  Amer- 
ica, and  encounters  the  usual  storms  and  severity  of 
weather  pecuhar  to  that  passage,  will  probably  pro- 
nounce the  seaman's  life  to  be  the  hardest,  the  most 
dangerous,  the  most  irksome,  the  most  wearing  to 
body  and  mind,  of  any  one  of  the  pursuits  of  man. 
On  the  contrary,  he  who  sails  from  the  United  States 
to  Calcutta,  to  China,  or  to  South  America,  avoiding 
our  winter's  coast,  may  perform  the  voyage  without 
experiencing  a  gale  of  greater  severity,  than  would 
re([uire  the  sails  to  be  reefed,  a  pleasing  excitement 
when  the  necessity  is  of  rare  occurrence  ;  and  he 
would  probably  decide  that  no  profession  is  so  easy, 
so  pleasant,  and  so  free  from  care,  as  the  seaman's. 
These  are  the  two  extremes,  between  which,  as  may 
be  supposed,  there  are  gradations,  which  will  teiid  to 
incline  the  scale  one  way  or  the  other,  according  to 
circumstances. 

The  experience  of  more  than  twenty  years  passed 
in  navigating  to  all  parts  of  the  world,  has  led  me  to 
the  conclusion,  that  though  the  hardships  and  priva- 
tions of  a  seaman's  life  be  greater  than  those  of  any 
other,  there  is  a  compensation  in  the  very  excitement 
of  its  dangers,  in  the  opportunity  it  alibrds  of  visiting 
dilferent  countries,  and  viewing  mankind  in  the  vari- 
ous gradations  between  the  most  baibarous,  and  the 
most  refined  ;  and  in  the  ever-changing  scenes  which 
this  occupation  presents.  And  I  can  say,  with  truth, 
that  I  not  only  feel  no  regret  for  having  chosen  this 
profession  rather  than  any  other,  but  that  if  my  life 
were  to  be  passed  over  again,  I  should  pursue  the 
same  course. 


1 


^ 


CONTENTS 


OF 


VOLUME     FIRST. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Counting-House.  — A  Salem  Merchant. —  His  Ships  and 
Musters.—  Distaii..  Voyages.  —  Their  Kxoitemenl.  —  My  First 
Voyage.  —  Disgust  with  it  —  Become  Master  of  tiie  Enterprise. 

—  Voyage  to  Bouibon— To  Havre  de  Grace.— Disappnint- 
nient.  —  Send  liome  the  Knlerprise.  —  Buy  a  Cutter.  —  Amount 
of  Vessel  and  Cargo.  —  Explanation  of  my  Plan.  —  Apprehen- 
sion of  my  Fi  lends.  —  Name  of  the  Vessel.  —  Sail  from  Havre. 

—  Disaster.  —  Attempt  to  return.  —  Fall  to  Leeward.  —  Come 
to  Anchor.  —  Cables  part.  —  Run  ashore.  —  Humane  Conduct 
of  the  People.  —  They  unlade  and  get  otT  the  Vessel.  —  Enter 
River  Orme.  —  Stop  the  Leaks.  —  Return  to  Havre.  —Repair 
the  Vessel.  —  The  Crew  desert 

CHAPTER    H. 

Difficulty  in  procuring  Men.  —  '^■"•ially  accomplished,  —  Sail 
from  Havre. —  A  British  Frigato  —Ushant.  — Sketch  of  the 
Crew.  —  Anecdotes  of  (Jeorge  —  His  Bravery  and  Fidelity.  — 
Swimming  after  the  Pig  —British  Frigate  Stag.  —  Danger  of 
Contact.  — Chased  oiV  Cadiz.—  Boarded  from  a  French  Priva- 
te! r.  -  Released  unhiirmed— Cape  de  Verde  Islands.  -  A 
Gale.  —  Lose  a  Cask  of  Water.  —  Causes  a  Necessity  of  Stop- 
ping at  Cape  of  Good  Hope.— Arrival.  — Interview  with  the 
Admiral.  —  Many  Visitors.  —  Suspicion  of  our  Object.  —  In- 
terview with  Lord  Macartney.  — Searched  for  Papers.  —  Sell 
tl,,.  V(-;.sel.— Trouble  with  the  Collector.  —  Appeal  to  Lord 
Macartney.  —  Adjusted.  —  The  Vessel  despatched.—  Never 
•heard  of  after 


15 


xn 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   111. 

Description  of  the  Cape.  —  Of  the  Town.  —  Efr»".tt*  if  jJouthpaat 
Wind.  —  Devil's  Table  (-loth.  —  Seascm  of  W-faktciy  Crales.  — 
Dangerous  to  the  Shipping.  —  Lobs  of  th*-  iSufirarK.  —  Loss  of 
Ship  Jefferson.  —  Notice  of  tiie  ItihaliituiitK.  —  Ulieir  Fi»elinc;3 
nnder  the  actual  Government. —  Simon 'g  liui .  —  ConsUintia. 

—  Signal  Mill.  —  Residence  and  Resource  of  tiit  Wtui  stationed 
there.  —  Table  Mountain.  —  The   Ascent  and  i  e-.w  Uierefrom. 

—  I'erilous  Situation.  —  Mode  of  Rescue  —  JU^sjwnt  ami   Re- 
turn to  Town 33 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Impatience  to  bo  off.  —  Embark  for  Batavia. — 'Clintwti  hy  a  Bri^. 

—  Outsail  her.  — Arrival  at  Batavia.  —  (jovfrinir-j  i^iirpi'ise  at 
our  quick  Passage.  —  Hotel.  —  .American  C".(mui»»i!S'.i». —  Effect 
of  the  Climate  on  Europeans.  —  Market  —  Tiie  Sity .  —  ?*harkg 
atid  Alligators.  —  No  Opportunity  to  fffig-tn  •»!>  tiw  United 
Slates. —  Embark  for  China.  —  Arrival  nt  Mutmv  —  .\  Ty- 
phon. —  Lose  an  Anchor. —  Arrive  at  Wuui)iim. —  At  Canton. 

—  Embarrassment  as  to  next  Destination.  —  AmnNinil  and  Pur- 
chase of  an  English  Cutter.  —  Apsocmtes  in  tin-  Alvfnture.  — 
Factories.  —  Recourse   of  Beggars   to  cuiugHsi  Jtijn*.  —  Enter 

the  City.— Result 39 

CHAPTER   V. 

Information  from  Boston. —  Difficulty  of  obtninin^  'VR»n,  —  North- 
east Monsoon.  —  A  Choice  of  Difiiculliee.  —  i^iii!  rirfini  .\nson'3 
Bay.  —  Anchoring  when  the  Tides  were  a^uiiitn  uh  —  Narrow 
Escape.  —  Rocks  and  Shoals.  —  Strike  and  flliifumt.  na  a  sunk- 
en f,edge.  —  Come  off  as  the  Tide  rises. —  ftiiminr,  .md  pro- 
cure VValer  and  Wood.  —  Curiosity  of  tlie  thnij)ii»  — Slormy 
Weather.  —  Pass  through  a  Breaker  unhurt.  —  Biwp  Conwpany 
with  a  Chinese  Fleet   —  They  enter  Am"y.  —  ftrii'.lior  outside. 

—  Dangerous  Navigation.  —  Island  of  Kviiiov  — Wuhny. — 
Means  of  subduing  it. —  Leave  six  Men  itfinuu  —  Visit  from 
a  Chinese.  —  Weather  the  North  End  of  P'ornnHn.  —  Heavy 
Gales  across  the  Pacific.  —  Discontent  of  the  "C^t-v  .  49 


* 


CONTENTS. 


XIU 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Spc  tlip   Const  of  Amorica.  —  Prepare    BnUviirka.  —  Ani;(inr  at 
Norfolk  Sound. —  Discliarifr'  u  Cannon. —  Natives  come  to  us. 

—  Caution   to  tliein.  —  Their  Appearance.  —  Purchase  Sitins. 

—  Tribe.  —  An  Accident.  —  llesult.  —  Ciiatham  Straits.  — 
jjiiip  F.liza Suspicious  Conduct  of  the  Natives.  —  An  Alarm. 

—  Sleeken.  —  War  Canoe.  —  A  Present. —  Request  to  f.top 
the  Rain.  —  A  Deserter. —  Recovered.  —  Game.  —  Anchor  in 
a  Cove.  —  Hostile  Attitude  of  the  Natives.  —  Leave  them.  — 
Ship  (/heerful. —  Danirerous  Position  of  the  Vessel. —  Kscape. 

—  Rej)air  the  Damaire.  —  Ships  Hancock  and  Despatcli,  of 
Boston. —  Skittigates.  —  Stratagem.  —  Howlinjrs  in  the  Nigrht. 

—  Sensibility  of  a  Native. —  Chiefs  Kow,  Coneyaw,  and  F,]- 
targoe.        ...........     0;* 


19 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Sail   for   Sandwich  Island-^.  —  Satisfaction.  —  Owhyhee. —  Pro- 
visions and  Fruit.  — Natives.  —  Mowec.  —  Proceed  Westward. 

—  Tinian.  —  Anehor  in  the  Typa.  —  Ship  Ontario.  —  Reflec- 
tions caused  by  her  Loss. —  Proceed  to  Wampoa  and  Canton. 

—  Take  a  Factory.  —  Contract  for  the  Cargo.  —  CauECS  oper- 
ating to  discourage  a  Return  to  the  Coast.  —  Sell  tiie  Cutter. 

—  Sail  for  (^^aloutta.  —  Malacca, —  Pulo  Pinang.  —  Procure  a 
Pilot.  —  Arrive  at  Calcutta.       ....... 


•jr) 


CHAPTER  VHL 

Captain  Lay.  —  Take  a  House.  —  Servants.  —  George  pressed. 
—  Application  for  his  |{clease  to  Town  IMajor  and  to  the  Chief 
of  Police.  —  Unsuccessful.  —  To  Lord  Mornington.  —  George 
restored.  —  His  Gratitude.  —  American  Commerce.  —  Buy  a 
Boat.  —  Danish  Flag.  —  Deer  Hunt  by  Tigers.  —  Observations 
on  Calctitta.  —  Sail  for  Isle  of  PVance.  —  Culpu.  —  Danger  in 
passing  the  BarabuUa.  —  Arrival  at  Isle  of  FVance.         .         .     107 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Good  Fortune.  —  Visit  the  Governor.  —  His  Civility.  —  William 
Shalcr. —  Dinner   at   the    Governor's.  —  Sell  the   Vessel   and 
Cargo.  —  Isle  of  Bourbon.  —  St.  Dennis.  —  St.  Paul's.  ■ —  Riv- 
VOL.    I.  b 


I 


XIV 


CONTENTS. 


iore  d'Aborde.  —  Mr.  Nnirnc.  —  Dinner  Party.  —  Pass  near  tlie 
Volcano.  —  St.  Denoit.  —  Return  to  St.  I)cni;i8. —  Return  to 
Isle  of  I'rauce.  —  Ueatli  of  the  (iovernor.  —  Honors  to  liis 
Rleuiory. —  Entry  of  a  Hamburgh  Ship. —  Cut  out  by  Kng- 
lish  Boats.  —  Purchase  Cotlee.  —  Confiance  and  Kent.  —  Mode 
of  Capture.  —  Bravery  and  Generosity  of  SurcoulFe.  —  Brig 
Traveller.  — A  Duel.  — Kent  sold.— Treight  her.  —  Nutura- 
li.ste  and  Ueographe 12*i 


Ar 


CHAPTER  X. 

Satisfaction  at  the  ProHi)ect  of  Departure.  —  Observations  on  the 
Isle  of  France. —  Influence  of  the  Jacobins.  —  A  Hurricane. 
—  Sail  for  Europe.  —  Speak  an  American  Schooner.  —  Coast 
of  IS'orway. —  War  between  the  English  and  Danes,  —  Arrive 
at  Christiansand. —  Leave  the  Ship,  and  proceed  to  Copenha- 
gen. —  Arrival  there.  —  A  profitable  Voyage.  —  Sketch  of  Co- 
penhagen. —  Obelisk.  —  Fredericksburg  Palace.  —  Rosenberg 
Palace.  —  Arrival  of  the  Ship  from  Norway. 


137 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Remarks.  —  Associated  with  Mr.  Shalcr.  -~  Leave  Copenhagen. 

—  Arrive  at  Hamburgh.  —  Purchase  a  Vessel.  —  Decision  as 
to  the  Command.  —  Count  de  Ruuissillon. —  Peace  of  Amiens. 

—  Discouraging  Prospects. —  Vessel  near  being  lost  in  the 
River.  —  Proceed  to  Sea.  —  Arrive  at  Grand  Canaria.  —  Ap- 
pearance of  the  Town.  —  Departure.  —  Arrival  at  Rio  Janei- 
ro. —  An  Assassination.  —  Convent  of  Benedictines. —  Bay  of 
Rio.  —  Departure,  —  Cape  Horn.  —  Lose  a  Man.  —  Arrive  at 
Valparaiso l.j;< 


N 


CHAPTER   XII. 

American  Vessels  at  Valparaiso.  —  Permission  to  obtain  Sup- 
plies.—  Threat  of  the  Captain-General.  —  Controversy  be- 
tween the  Governor  and  Captain  Rowan.  —  Arrest  and  Impris- 
onment of  Americans.  —  Preparation  for  Hostilities.  —  Anger 
of  the  Governor.  —  Determined  on  Vengeance. —  His  Treach- 
ery. —  Capture  of  the  Ship  Hazard,  —  Imprisonment  of  Row- 
an.—  Correspondence  with  the  Captain-General. —  Defer  our 
Departure. —  Seizure  of  our  Vessel.  —  Interrogatories, — Our 


I 


CON  T  E  NTS. 


XY 


Vessel  restored  to  us.  —  Order  of  the  Captain-General  to  leave 
the  Port. —  Proposition  from  the  Collector.  —  Refused.  —  Fle- 
turn  of  the  actual  (jovernor.  —  Interview  and  civil  Reception. 
—  Departure. 1G8 


2(1 


37 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Arrive  at  the  Gallipagos  Islands.  —  Transactions  there.  —  De- 
parture.—  Singular  Flaw  of  Wind.  —  Arrival  at  Saa  Bias. — 
Visited  by  the  Commissary.  —  Agreement  with  Him.  —  Op- 
posed by  the  Governor.  —  Character  of  the  Governor.  —  Con- 
troversy between  the  Governor  and  Commissary.  —  Order  to 
leave  San  Rlas.—  Arrangement  with  Rouissillon. —  He  leaves 
us  for  Mexico.  —  Go  to  the  Three  Maria  Islands.  —  Enibar- 
rassment.  —  Letter  from  Rouissillon.  —  Death  of  the  Gover- 
nor. —  Catch  a  Sun  Fish.  —  Description  of  Three  Marias.  — 
Return  again  to  San  Bias.  —  Proposal  for  the  Cargo.  —  Rtturn 
of  Rouissillon.  — Sale  of  Part  of  the  Cargo.— Purchase  Sea 
Otters'  Skins.  —  Suspicion  of  'I'reachcry.  —  Take  final  Leave 
of  Rouissillon.  —  His  Character.  —  Death.  —  Again  anchor  at 
the  Three  Marias. —  Discover  a  Traitor  in  the  M^-te.  —  Seize 
hij  Papers.  —  Remarks  thereon 


187 


o[\ 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

Notice  of  San  Bias.  —  Domestic  Indians.  —  Circulation  of  Revo- 
lutionary Papers.  —  Sail  from  the  Three  Maria  Islands.  —  St. 
Clement's.  —  Indians.  —  Arrive  at  San  Diego.  —  Commandant 
Rodriguez  visits  the  Ship.  —  Leaves  a  Guard  on  Board.  —  A 
Visit  to  the  Fort.  —  Ship  Alexander.  —  Fail  in  purchasing  the 
Skins.- Detention  of  our  Men.  —  Rescue.  —  Disarm  the  Guard 
on  Board.— Prepare  for  War.— Get  under  sail  to  go  out. — 
Fire  of  the  Fort.  —  Returned.— Pass  by  the  Fort. —  Put  the 
Guards  on  Shore.  —  Arrive  at  St.  Quintin's. —Visit  of  Mis- 
sionaries. —  Corporal's  Letter.  —  Padre's  Opinion  of  Rodri- 
guez. —  Leave  St.  Quintin's.  —  Notice  of  it.  —  Guadaloupe.  — 
San  Borja.  —  Padre  Mariano  Apolonario.  —  His  Character. — 
Procure  Horses.  —  Our  Farewell,  —  Arrive  at  St.  Joseph's. — 
Obtain  Supplies.  —  Sail  for  the  Sandwich  Islands. 


207 


XVI 


CONTENTS. 


CIIArTER   XV. 

Observations  on  loaving  tlie  Const.  —  California.—  Sandwich  Isl- 
ands. —  Visit  of  the  King.  —  Land  the  Horses.  —  Present  them 
to  the  Kinir.  —  His  Estimation  of  them.  —  Visit  IJerh^i's 
Grave.  —  Leave  the  Islands.  —  Sketch  of  Tamaahmanh.  —  At- 
tempt at  his  Conversion. —  A  Practice  of  the  Natives. —  An 
Evidence  of  their  G;llantry.  —  Instances  of  atrocious  Con- 
duct of  Americans.  — Island  of  Guam.  —  A  Visit  from  the 
Governor's  Lady.  — Sketch  of  the  Island.  —  A  Storm.  —  Arri- 
val at  Canton. —  Dispose  of  One  Half  the  Ship. —  Mr.  Slialer 
returns  to  California,  and  I  emhark  in  the  Alert  for  Uoslon.        22(1 

CHAPTER   XVL 

Parting  with  Mr.  Shaler.  —  Origin  of  our  Acquaintance.  —  Ob- 
servations.—  Embark  for  Boston.  —  Touch  at  North  Island. — 
Pass  the  lale  of  Bourbon.  —  Arrive  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
—  Reflections.  —  Departure  from  llie  Cape  of  Good  Hope. — 
Arrival  at  Boston.  —  Lelia  Byrd  sails  for  California.  —  Disas- 
ter.—  Difficulty  of  making  Repairs. —  Arrive  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  —  Barter  with  the  King.  —  Place  the  Cargo  in  his 
Power. —  His  honorable  Ciftiduct.  —  Expedite  tlie  Tamana.  — 
Mr.  Hudson.  —  His  Voyage.  —  Return  and  Death.  —  Lelia 
Byrd.  — Apology  for  the  Voyage 241 


>■     , 


I 


VOYAGES. 


2(1 


I 


41 


CHAPTER    I. 

The  Counfmg-IIouso.-- A  SalcMii  Rlercliant.— Flis  Ships  and  Mas- 
ters —  Distant  Voyngrs.  —Their  Excitement.—  My  First  Voyage. 

—  Disgust  with  it.  —  Become  Master  oC  tiie  Enterprise.  —  Voyage 
to  Bourbon.  — To  Havre  de  Grace.  —  Disappointment.  —  S^end 
home  the  Enlerpri.se.  —  Buy  a  Cutter.  —  Amount  of  Vessel  and 
Car>(o.  — Explanation  of  my  Plan. —  Apprehension  of  my  Friends. 

—  Name  of  the  Vessel.  -  Sail  from  Havre.  —  Disaster.  —  Attempt 
to  return.  — Fall  to  Leeward.  —  Come  to  Anchor.  —  Cables   part. 

—  Run  ashore.  — Humane  Conduct  of  the  People.  — They  unlade 
and  get  off  the  Vessel.  —  Enter  River  Orme.  —  Stop  tiie  Leaks.  — 
Return  to  Havre.  —  Repair  the  Vessel.—  The  Crew  desert. 

In  the  ordinary  course  of  a  commercial  education, 
in  New  England,  boys  are  transferred  from  school  to 
the  merchant's  desk  at  the  age  of  fourteen  or  fifteen. 
When  I  had  reached  my  fourteenth  year,  it  was  my 
good  fortune  to  be  received  into  the  counting-house  of 
Elias  Hasket  Derby,  Esq.  of  Salem  ;  a  merchant, 
who  may  justly  be  termed  the  father  of  the  American 
commerce  to  India  ;  one,  whose  enterprise  and  com- 
mercial sagacity  were  unequalled  in  his  day,  and.  per- 
haps, have  not  been  surpassed  by  any  of  his  successors. 
To  him  our  country  is  indebted  for  opening  the  valuable 
trade  to  Calcutta  ;  before  whose  fortress  his  was  the 
first  vessel  to  display  the  American  flag  ;  and,  follow- 

VOL.    I.  1 


FFRST  VOYAGE.  — CAROLINE. 


iiig  up  the  business,  he  had  reaped  gohlen  harvests 
before  other  merchants  came  in  for  a  share  of  ihcm. 
Tiie  first  American  ships,  seen  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  at  the  Isle  of  France,  belonged  to  him.  Ilis 
were  tlie  first  American  sliips  which  carried  cargoes 
of  cotton  from  Bombay  to  China  ;  and  among  the  first 
ships  which  made  a  direct  voyage  to  China  and  back, 
was  one  owned  by  him,  He  continued  to  prosecute  a 
successful  business,  on  an  extensive  scale,  in  those 
countries,  until  the  day  of  his  death.  In  the  transaction 
of  his  affairs  abroad,  he  was  liberal,  greatly  beyond  the 
practice  in  modern  times,  always  desirous  that  every 
one,  even  the  foremast  haiul,  shoidd  share  the  good 
fortune  to  which  he  pointed  the  way  ;  and  the  long  list 
of  masters  of  ships,  who  have  acquired  ample  fortunes 
in  his  employment,  is  a  proof,  both  of  his  discernment 
in  selecting  and  of  his  generosity  in  paying  them. 

Without  possessing  a  scientific  knowledge  of  the 
construction  and  the  sparring  of  ships,  Mr.  Derby 
seemed  to  have  an  intuitive  facidty  in  judging  of  models 
and  proportions  ;  and  his  experiments,  in  several  in- 
stances, for  the  attainment  of  swiftness  of  sailing,  were 
crowned  with  a  success  unsurpassed  in  our  own  or  any 
other  country.  He  built  several  ships  for  the  India 
trade,  immediately  in  the  vicinity  of  the  counting-house  ; 
which  aftbrded  me  an  opportunity  of  becoming  acquaint- 
ed with  the  building,  sparring,  and  rigging  of  ships. 
The  conversations,  to  which  I  listened,  relating  to  the 
countries  then  newly  visited  by  Americans,  the  excile- 
inont  on  the  return  of  an  adventure  from  them,  and  the 
great  profits  which  were  made,  always  manifest  from 
the  result  of  my  own  little  adventures,  tended  to  stin)u- 
late  the  des're  in  me  of  visiting  those  countries,  and  of 


DISTANT   VOVAOES. 


sharing  more  largely  in  the  advantages  they  presented. 
Consequently,  after  having  ])assc(l  four  years  in  this 
course  of  instruction,  I  hecanie  impatient  to  begin  that 
nautical  career  on  which  I  had  determined,  as  present- 
ing the  most  sure  and  direct  means  of  arriving  at  inde- 
pendence ;  and  in  the  sunmier  of  1792  I  embarkeci  on 
my  first  voyage.  It  was  one  of  only  three  months'  du- 
lation  ;  but  it  was  sufficient  to  |)roduce  a  most  thorough 
disgust  of  the  j)ursuit,  from  the  severe  sufiering  of  sea- 
sickness ;  so  that,  if  1  had  })erceived,  on  my  return, 
any  prospect  on  shore  equally  j)romisiug,  I  should 
have  abandoned  the  sea.  INquc,  however,  presenting 
itself,  I  persevered,  and  finally  overcame  the   difiicuhy. 

Having  in  this,  and  other  voyages  to  the  East  and 
West  Indies  and  to  Europe,  acquired  the  experience 
and  nautical  skill  deemed  sufficient  to  qualify  me  for 
taking  the  command  of  a  ship,  I  was  invited,  in  the 
autunm  of  1795,  by  the  eldest  son  of  Mr.  Derby,  to 
take  charge  of  his  barque  Enterprise,  and  proceed  on 
a  voyage  to  the  Isle  of  Bourbon.  The  confidence, 
thus  evinced,  in  intrusting  the  management  of  a  val- 
uable vessel  and  cargo  to  so  young  and  inexperienced 
a  man,  for  I  had  then  ordy  attained  my  majority,  was 
very  gratifying  to  my  ambition,  and  was  duly  appre- 
ciated. 

In  those  almost  primitive  days  of  our  commerce,  a 
coppered  vessel  was  scarcely  known  in  the  United 
States  ;  and  on  the  long  East  India  voyages,  the  bar- 
nacles and  grass,  which  accumulated  on  the  wooden 
sheathing,  retarded  the  ship's  sailing  so  much,  that  a 
third  more  time,  at  least,  was  required  for  the  passages, 
than  is  needed  since  the  practice  of  sheathing  with  cop- 
per has  been  adopted.     A  year,  therefore,  was  gen- 


FIRST  VOVAr.E.  — CAROLINE, 


erally  consnmefl  in  a  voyage  to  the  Isle  of  France  or 
Bourbon  ;  and  mine  was  accoinplislied  within  that  term. 
The  success  attending  it  was  very  satisfactory  to  my 
employer,  of  which  he  gave  evidence  In  despatching 
me  again,  in  the  same  vessel,  on  a  voyage  to  Europe, 
and  thence  to  Mocha,  for  a  cargo  of  coffee. 

While  at  Havre  de  (trace,  in  the  summer  of  1797, 
engaged  in  making  preparations  for  pursuing  the  voyage, 
I  had  the  mortification  to  learn,  by  letters  from  my  em- 
ployer, that  some  derangement  had  occurred  in  his 
affairs,  which  made  it  necessary  to  abandon  the  Mocha 
enterprise,  and  to  place  in  his  hands,  with  the  least  pos- 
sible delay,  the  funds  destined  for  that  object.  Among 
the  numerous  commercial  adventures,  in  which  our 
merchants,  at  that  time,  had  been  engaged  to  the  east- 
ward of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  no  voyage  had  been 
undertaken  to  Mocha.  To  be  the  first,  therefore,  in  an 
untried  adventure  was  highly  gratifying  to  my  ambition  ; 
and  my  disappointment  was  proportionally  great  when 
compelled  to  relinquish  it.  To  have  detained  the  ves- 
sel in  France,  while  waiting  the  slow  progress  of  the 
sale  of  the  cargo,  would  have  been  injudicious  ;  and 
she  was  therefore  despatched  for  home,  under  charge 
of  the  mate,  William  Webb,  of  Salem. 

Being  thus  relieved  from  the  necessity  of  an  imme- 
diate return  to  the  United  States,  I  flattered  myself, 
that,  even  with  the  very  contracted  means  which  I  pos- 
sessed, I  might  still  engage,  with  a  little  assistance,  and 
on  a  very  humble  scale,  in  some  enterprise  to  the  Isle 
of  France  and  India.  When,  therefore,  I  had  accom- 
plished the  business  with  which  I  had  been  charged,  by 
remitting  to  the  owner  in  Salem  his  property  with  me, 
I  began  earnestly  to  put  to  the  test  the  practicability 


AMOfl.NT   OF  VKSSKr,  AM)   CAIU;*). 


of  tlic  object  of  which  I  was  so  desirous.  A  co- 
incidcnco  of  favorable  and  very  encouraging  circum- 
stances aided  uiy  views.  A  friend  of  mine  had  become 
proprietor  of  a  httle  cutter  of  thirty-eight  tons  buidon, 
which  had  been  a  packet  between  Dover  and  Calais. 
Tliis  vessel  liad  been  taken  for  a  del)t  ;  and  the  owner, 
not  knowing  \vhat  to  do  with  her,  oliered  her  to  nic  for 
a  reasonalile  price,  and  to  pay  wlien  I  had  the  abihty. 
This  credit  would  enable  me  to  put  all  my  capital  in  the 
cargo,  cxce|)ting  what  was  recpiired  for  cop|iering  and 
fitting  the  cutter  for  the  contemplated  voyage,  about 
five  hundred  dollars  ;  leaving  me  filteen  hundred  to  be 
invested  in  the  cargo.  On  making  known  to  others  of 
my  friends  the  plan  of  my  voyage,  two  of  them  engaged 
to  endjark  to  the  amount  of  a  thousand  dollars  eacji,  on 
condition  of  sharing  ecpially  the  jirofits  at  the  end  of 
the  voyage.  Having  become  pro|)rietor  of  the  cutter, 
which,  with  all  additional  expenses,  cost,  ready  for  sea, 
about  one  thousand  dollars,  an  investment  of  articles 
best  suited  to  the  market  of  the  Isle  of  France,  was 
purchased  to  the  amount  of  three  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars  ;  making  vessel  and  cargo  amount  to  four  thou- 
sand five  hundred.  It  is  not  probable,  that  the  annals 
of  commerce  can  furnish  another  example  of  an  India- 
man  and  cargo  being  fitted  and  expedited  on  so  humble 
a  scale. 

I  had  now  the  high  gratification  of  uncontrolled  ac- 
tion. An  innate  love  of  independence,  an  impatience 
of  restraint,  an  aversion  to  responsibility,  and  a  desire 
to  have  no  other  limits  to  my  wanderings  than  the  globe 
itself,  reconciled  me  to  the  endurance  of  fatigues  and 
privations,  which  1  knew  to  bo  the  unavoidable  conse- 
quence of  navigating  in  so  frail  a  bark,  rather  than  to 
1  * 


6 


riltsi"   V<»V.\f!l'.— (Mtdt.lXK. 


possess  tlic  cniii|)ariiii\  0  case  and  comfort,  coupled 
with  the  rcstrniiit  and  responsibility,  which  the  com- 
mand of  a  fine  ship  helonging  to  another  woidd  present. 
As  there  are,  donhlless,  many  persons,  not  except- 
ing those,  even,  who  arc  familiar  with  cominercial  and 
maritime  aflairs,  who  will  view  this  enterprise  as  very 
iiazardous  from  sea  risk,  and  as  ofleri<ig  but  a  very 
small  prospect  of  emohiment,  it  is  proj)er,  so  far  as  I 
am  able,  to  do  away  such  impressions  by  briefly  stating 
the  object  I  had  in  view.  On  my  late  voyage  to  tlie 
Isle  of  Bourbon,  1  had  perceived  a  great  deficiency  in 
the  number  of  vessels,  retpiisite  for  the  advantageous 
conveyance  of  passengers  and  freight  to  and  from  the 
Isles  of  France  and  Bourbon.  If  my  cutter  had  been 
built  expressly  for  the  purpose,  she  could  not  have 
been  more  suitable.  With  a  large  and  beautifully  fin- 
ished cabin,  where  passengers  would  be  more  comfort- 
ably accommodated  than  in  many  vessels  of  greater  di- 
mensions ;  with  but  small  freighting  room,  and  requiring, 
therefore,  but  little  tiine  to  load,  and  of  greater  speed 
irt  sailing  than  the  generality  of  merchant  vessels,  I  had 
no  doubt  of  being  able  to  sell  her  there  for  more  than 
double  the  cost  ;  or  1  might  find  it  to  be  more  advan- 
tageous to  employ  her  in  freighting  between  the  islands. 
In  either  event,  1  felt  entire  confidence  in  being  amply 
remunerated  for  the  time  and  risk.  On  the  cargo,  com- 
posed of  such  articles  as  my  l^ite  experience  had  proved 
to  be  mo;  I  in  demand,  I  had  no  doubt  of  making  a 
profit  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  per  cent  on  its  cost. 
The  proceeds  of  vessel  and  cargo,  invested  in  the  pro- 
duce of  the  island,  and  shipped  to  Kuro[)e  or  the  United 
States,  would,  at  that  tinie,  have  yielded  a  clear  gain 
of  ihirty-three  and  one  third   per  cent.     Thus,  in    the 


i 


•(I 


API'RKMKNf^roN   OP  FRIENDS,  ^ 

course  of  one  year,  [  should  make  two  Imiulicd  per 
cent  on  the  original  capital  ;  a  result,  which  niiirlit  be 
considered  abundant  compensation  for  the  time  it  wmdd 
consume,  and  should  take  from  the  enterprise  the  char- 
acter of  quixotism,  with  which  it  had  been  stigniatized. 

As  soon  as  it  became  known  at  Havre,  that  rnv  des- 
liriation  was  the  Isle  of  France,  some  of  my  friends, 
anxious  for  my  safety,  and  |)crcciving  in  the  ent(3r|)rise 
only  the  ardor  and  temerity  of  inexperienced  youth,  en- 
deavoured to  dissuade  me  from  it,  by  paititing  to  me, 
in  glowing  colors,  the  distress  and  probable  destruction 
I  was  preparing  for  myself  and  men.  But,  however 
friendly  and  considerate  the  advice,  I  felt  myself  more 
competent  to  judge  of  the  risk  than  they  were,  and, 
consccpiently,  disregarded  them.* 

The  vessel,  being  all  ready  for  sea  on  the  20tii  of 
September,  1797,  was  detained  several  days  by  the 
difficulty  of  procuring  men.  Those  who  were  engaged 
one  day  would  desert  the  next  ;  and  the  dangerous 
character  of  the  enterprise  having  been  discussed  and 
admitted  among  the  seamen  in  port,  I  began  to  be  se- 
riously ap|).'ehensivc,  that  T  might  not  succeed  in  pro- 
curing a  crew.  At  length,  however,  with  mucii  difii- 
culiy,  and  some  additional  pay,  I  succeeded  in  pro- 
curing four  men  ;  and,  having  previously  engaged  a 
mate,  our  number  was  complete. 

To  delay  proceeding  to  sea  a  moment  longer  than  was 
necessary,  would  have  been  incurring  a  risk  of  the  loss 

*  In  conformity  with  a  conditiim  in  liu'  contract  for  the  vessel,  she 
was  called  the  Camline.  We  navigaleil  with  sucii  papers  only,  as 
our  foreign  consuls  were,  at  that  period,  in  the  habit  of  jriviiiir  on 
similar  emergencies  ;  the  bill  of  sale  and  consular  certificate  attaciied, 
which  were  respected  by  the  belligerents, 


8 


FIRST  VOYAGE.— CAROLIiNE. 


of  my  men,  and  the  pay  I  had  advanced  them.  Hence, 
I  was  induced  to  sail  when  appearances  were  very  in- 
auspicious. A  strong  north  wind  was  blowing  into  the 
bay  with  such  violence  as  already  to  have  raised  a  con- 
siderable sea  ;  but  1  flattered  myself,  that,  as  tlie  sun 
declined,  it  would  abate  ;  that,  if  we  could  weather 
Cape  Barfleur,  we  should  make  a  free  wind  down  chan- 
nel ;  and  that,  if  this  should  bo  found  impracticable, 
we  could,  at  all  events,  return  to  Havre  Roads,  and 
wait  there  a  more  favorable  opportunity. 

With  such  impressions,  we  sailed  from  Havre  on  the 
25th  of  September.  A  great  crowd  had  assembled  on 
the  pier  head  to  witness  our  departure,  and  cheered  us 
as  wc  passed.  It  was  about  noon,  and  we  were  under 
full  sail  ;  but  we  had  scarcely  been  out  two  hours, 
when  wc  were  obliged  to  reduce  it  to  a  double-reefed 
mainsail,  foresail,  and  second-sized  jib.  With  the 
sail  even  thus  diminished,  the  vessel,  at  times,  almost 
buried  herself;  still,  as  every  part  of  the  equipment 
was  new  and  strong,  I  flattered  myself  with  being  able 
to  weather  the  Cape,  and  pressed  forward  through  a 
sea  in  which  we  were  continually  enveloped,  cheered 
with  the  hope  that  we  had  nothing  worse  to  expe- 
rience, and  that  we  should  soon  be  relieved  by  the 
ability  to  bear  away  and  make  a  free  wind.  1  was  des- 
tined, however,  to  a  sad  disappointment  ;  for  the  wind 
and  sea  having  increased  towards  midnight,  an  extraor- 
dinary plunge  into  a  very  short  and  sharp  sea  complete- 
ly buried  the  vessel,  and,  wiili  a  heavy  crash,  snapped 
off  the  bowsprit  by  the  board.  'J'Ke  vessel  then  lulled 
into  the  wind,  in  defiance  of  the  helm,  and  the  first 
shake  of  the  foresail  stripped  it  from  the  bolt  lope. 

No    other   alternative    now   presented,    than    to    en- 


'-% 


DISASTER. 


deavour  to  regain  the  port  of  Havre  ;  a  task,  under 
existing  circumstances,  of  very  difficult  and  doubtful 
accomplishment.  The  sea  had  increased  in  so  groat 
a  degree,  and  ran  so  sharp,  that  we  were  in  continual 
apprehension  of  having  our  decks  swept.  This  circum- 
stance, combined  with  the  sea  sickness,  which  none  es- 
caped, retarded  and  embarrassed  the  operation  of  wear- 
ing round  on  the  other  tack.  The  violent  motion  of 
the  vessel  had  also  prevented  the  possibility  of  ob- 
taining sleep  ;  indeed,  no  person  had  been  permitted 
to  go  below  before  the  disaster  ;  and  none  had  the 
disposition  to  do  so  afterwards  ;  but  all  were  alert  in 
the  performance  of  their  duty,  which  had  for  its  imme- 
diate object  the  getting  of  the  vessel's  head  pointed  to- 
wards Havre. 

This  was  at  length  effected  ;  but,  as  we  had  no  spar 
suitable  for  a  jury  bowsprit,  we  could  carry  only  such 
part  of  our  mainsail  as  was  balanced  by  a  jib,  set  in 
the  place  of  a  foresail.  With  this  sail  we  made  so 
much  lee  way,  that  it  was  evident,  as  soon  as  daylight 
enabled  me  to  form  a  judgment,  that  we  could  not 
reach  Havre  ;  nor  was  it  less  evident,  that  nothing  but 
an  abiitement  of  the  gale  could  save  us  from  being 
stranded  before  night.  With  the  hope  of  this  abate- 
ment, the  heavens  were  watched  with  an  intensity  of 
interest  more  easily  imagined  than  described  ;  but  no 
favor.;bIe  sign  appeared  ;  and  before  noon  we  had  evi- 
dence of  being  to  leeward  of  the  port  of  Havre.  We 
now  cleared  away  the  cables  and  anchors,  and  secured 
with  battens  the  communications  with  the  cabin  and  fore- 
castle. While  thus  engaged,  the  man  at  the  mast  head 
announced  the  appalling,  but  expected  intelligence,  of 
"  breakers  under  the  lee." 


10 


FIUST  VOYAGE  —CMJ^ttiDML 


This  information  had  the  effticl  (SMT  aa  electric  shock 
to  rouse  the  crew  from  that  apaibr,  wMch.  was  a  natiirai 
consequence  of  twenty-four  houi**  ts:spo9ure  to  ^reat 
fatigue,  incessant  wet  and  cold,  aridl  "ssTiut  of  sleep  and 
food  ;  for  we  had  not  been  able  lo  'ow^k  an.'  thintr.  The 
rapidity  with  wliich  we  were  drrrteai  m  icev/ard,  soon 
made  the  breakers  discernible  irvm  (lifick  ;  and  they 
were  of  such  extent,  as  to  leave  uf  auj)  choice,  wheth- 
er we  headed  east  or  west  ;  fox  iiiiie"  tiociorn  hope  of 
being  held  by  our  anchors  was  nilll  rJiur  remained  to 
us.  No  one  on  board  possessed  atrar  tuowledge  of  the 
shore  we  were  approaching  ;  but  <aiiii  chart  denoted  it 
as  rocky.  It  was  easy  to  percerve-  tiEinc  to  be  thrown 
among  rocks,  by  such  a  sea,  muyi  h&  nlje  destruction 
of  us  all.  Hence  it  was  of  the  utuuow:  importance  to 
discover,  and  to  anchor  off,  the  gmirii  of  the  shore 
which  apjicared  lo  be  most  free  frcuau  cracks  ;  and  with 
this  view  the  mate  was  looking  out  IJErmbu  the  mast  head. 
As  he  perceived  an  apjjarently  cl«aj  Bieach  east  of  us, 
and  within  our  ability  of  reaching.  ■*«*  steered  for  it  ; 
and  when  the  water  was  only  six  fitiibama  deep,  we  low- 
ered our  sails  and  came  to  anchor.  Btit  as  our  anchor 
dragged,  a  second  was  let  go,  wlmliu^  (or  a  moment 
only,  brought  the  vessel  bead  xo  iiiiie'  sea,  when  one 
cable  parted  ;  and  as  we  were  drifcinr  capidly  with  the 
other,  we  cut  it,  then  hoisted  the  j)ftc  and  steered  di- 
rectly for  the  clear  space  in  the  beadk.  Going  in  with 
great  velocity,  on  the  top  of  a  hi^iu  tticeaker,  v/e  were 
soon  enveloped  in  its  foam,  and  in  liinc  cit'  several  oth- 
ers which  succeeded.  The  vesHelL  Hiinwever,  notwith- 
standing she  struck  the  ground  w'th  ai  violence  which 
appeared  suflicient  to  dash  her  in  jueitien,  still  held  to- 
gether, in   defiance  of  this   and  Bev-tnaili  nninor  shocks  ; 


nus  ASHORE. 


11 


of 

to 

the 


and,  as  the  tide  was  falHng,  she  soon  became  so  still, 
and  the  water  so  shoal,  as  to  enable  us  to  go  on   shore. 

As  the  alarm  gun  had  been  fired,  the  peasantry  had 
come  down  in  great  numbers  ;  and  when  they  perceiveil 
us  leaving  the  vessel,  they  ran  into  the  surf,  and,  with 
such  demonstrations  of  humanity  and  kindness  as  our 
forlorn  situation  was  calculated  to  excite,  supporteil  us 
to  the  shore,  which  we  had  no  sooner  reached,  than 
they  complimented  us  on  the  judicious  selection  we 
had  made  of  a  place  to  come  on  shore.  And  it  was 
now  obvious  to  us,  that  if  we  had  struck  half  a  mile, 
either  on  one  side  or  the  other  from  this  spot,  there 
would  have  been  scarce  a  possibility  of  saving  our  Jives. 

We  were  fortunate,  not  only  in  the  selection  of  the 
spot,  but  also  in  the  circumstance  of  its  being  nearly 
high  water  when  the  vessel  struck.  The  concurrence 
of  two  such  circumstances  turned  the  scale  in  my  favor  ; 
and  immediately  after  landing  1  was  convinced,  that 
the  vessel  and  cargo,  though  much  damaged,  would 
both  be  saved.  When  the  tide  had  so  fallen  as  to 
leave  the  vessel  dry,  the  inhabitniits  showed  no  dispo- 
sition to  take  advantage  of  om-  distress,  by  stijiulating 
for  a  certain  proportion  of  what  they  might  save,  be- 
fore going  to  work  ;  but,  prompted  by  their  humane 
feelings,  set  about  discharging  the  vessel,  in  such  nimi- 
bers  and  with  such  earnestness,  that  before  sunset  she 
was  completely  unloaded,  and  the  cargo  carried  above 
high  water  mark. 

The  gale,  towards  evening,  hml  very  tnuch  abated, 
and,  before  the  next  hiirh  water,  was  fortunatelv  sue- 
ceedcd  by  a  calm  and  a  great  decrease  of  sea.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  leaks,  made  in  the  bottom,  were  stopped, 
as  well  as  time  and  circumstances  would  permit  ;  an  an- 


12 


FIRST  VOYAGE.  —  CAROLINE, 


chor  was  carried  as  far  as  the  retreat  of  the  tide  would 
admit,  and  the  cable  hove  taut.  Having  made  these 
dispositions,  1  engaged  a  pilot  and  a  sufficient  number  of 
men,  to  attend,  at  full  tide,  to  heave  the  vessel  off,  and 
to  endeavour  to  remove  her  into  the  river  Orme,  which 
was  near  by.  These  arrangements  being  made,  I  went 
with  my  men  to  an  inn,  in  the  neighbouring  town  of  Ois- 
treham,  to  get  some  refreshment,  and  to  pass  the  night ; 
compelled  by  exhaustion  to  place  entire  dependence 
on  those  who  were  strangers  to  us,  for  getting  the  ves- 
sel afloat,  as  well  as  to  secure  the  cargo  from  being 
plundered. 

Though  worn  out  by  fatigue  and  anxiety,  my  dis- 
tress of  mind  was  so  great,  that  I  could  not  sleep. 
The  thoughts,  that  I  had  contracted  a  debt  which  I 
might  never  be  able  to  pay,  that  no  insurance  had  been 
effected,  that,  without  credit,  I  might  be  compelled  to 
sacrifice  what  had  been  saved  to  defray  the  expenses 
incurred,  and  that  my  fortune  and  prospects  were 
rui'ied,  were  so  incessantly  haunting  my  imagination, 
•-liat  the  night  rather  added  to,  than  diminished  my  feel- 
ings of  exhaustion. 

The  following  morning,  I  found  the  vessel  lying 
safely  in  the  river  Orme  ;  and  men  were  also  there, 
ready  to  make  those  temporary  repairs  which  were  in- 
dispensable to  enable  us  to  return  to  Havre.  In  the 
forenoon  it  was  required  of  me  to  go  to  Caen  (two  or 
three  miles  distant)  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  cus- 
tomary report  to  the  municipal  authorities,  which  was  a 
business  of  very  little  intricacy,  and  of  very  speedy  ac- 
complishment. An  examination  of  the  vessel  and  cargo 
satisfied  me,  that  the  former  could  be  rej)aired  at  very 
trifling  expense,  and  that  the  latter  was  not  damaged 


RETURN'  TO  HAVRE. 


13 


to  niurli  amount.  The  alacrity  to  render  us  assistance, 
in  the  people  of  this  place,  from  the  beginning  of  our 
disaster,  was  extended  to  the  period,  when,  the  cargo 
having  been  transported  to  the  vessel  and  re-shipped,  we 
were  prepared  to  return  to  Havre. 

As  in  cases  of  vessels  stranding,  it  seems  to  be  a 
practice,  sanctioned  by  long  established  usage,  (par- 
ticularly on  the  other  side  of  the  channel,)  to  consider 
the  unfortunate  as  those  abandoned  by  Heaven,  from 
whom  may  lawfully  be  taken  all  that  the  elements  have 
spared,  J  was  prepared  for  a  demand  of  salvage  to  a 
considerable  amount.  But  in  this  expectation  I  found 
I  had  done  great  injustice  to  these  good  people ;  for,  on 
presenting  their  account,  it  appeared  they  had  charged 
no  more  than  for  ordinary  labor,  and  that  at  a  very 
moderate  rate.  It  is  a  circumstance,  also,  very  credit- 
able to  them,  that  notwithstanding  some  jiackages  of 
the  cargo,'  of  much  value,  and  of  such  bulk  as  to  be 
easily  concealed,  were  in  their  possession,  exclusively, 
for  several  days  and  nights,  yet  nothing  was  lost.  Al- 
though these  transactions  are  of  a  date  so  remote,  that 
probably  many  of  the  actors  therein  have  "ceased  from 
their  earthly  labors,"  yet  I  never  recall  them  to  mind, 
without  a  feeling  of  compunction  that  I  had  not  ascer- 
tained the  names  of  the  principals  in  the  business,  and 
made  thai  jiublic  acknowledgment  for  the  disinterested 
and  imp()rtaiit  services  rendered  me,  which  gratitude, 
no  le's  than  justice,  demanded.  For  this  omission  my 
prcturbed  slate  of  mind  is  my  only  apology. 

With  a  favorable  wind  for  Havre,  we  proceeded  for 
that  port,  where  we  arrived  in  about  ten  days  after 
having  sailed  from  there.  'J'he  reception  I  met  with 
at  Havre,  from  my  friend  Jaincs  Prince,  Esq.  of  Bos- 

VOL.     I.  2 


14 


FrilST   VOYAGE.  —  CAROLINE. 


ton,  who  was  more  largely  interested  in  the  adventure 
than  any  other  individual  excepting  myself,  was  kind 
and  friendly  in  the  extreme,  and  tended  to  counteract  the 
effects  of  my  deep  mortification,  and  to  raise  rnv  spirits 
for  the  prosecution  of  the  original  plan.  He  relieved  my 
anxiety  relative  to  the  means  of  defraying  the  ex])enses 
of  repairs,  by  engaging  to  provide  them.  He  gave 
me  a  room  at  his  house  ;  and  while  I  was  ill  there,  (for 
this  I  did  not  escape,)  he  facilitated  my  recovery  by  his 
care  and  kindness.  With  such  attentions,  my  health 
was  soon  reestablished,  my  spirits  renewed,  and  I 
pursued  the  repairing  and  refilling  the  vessel  with  my 
accustomei'  ardor. 

On  examination  of  the  cargo,  it  was  found  to  be  very 
little  damaged.  The  vessel  was  considerably  injiu'cd 
so  near  the  keel,  that  it  was  necessary  to  lay  her  on 
blocks,  where  it  was  discovered  that  the  lower  plank 
was  so  much  broken  that  several  feet  of  it  would  re- 
quire to  be  replaced  with  new.  This  being  accom- 
plished, the  other  repairs  made,  and  the  cargo  again 
put  on  board,  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  proceeding 
immediately  to  sea,  excepting  a  difliculty  in  procuring 
men,  which  seemed  to  be  insurmountable.  No  one  of 
my  former  crew,  excepting  a  black  man,  (deorge,) 
would  try  it  again.  We  had  arrived  at  the  close  of  the 
month  of  November  ;  and  each  day's  delay,  by  the  ad- 
vance of  winter,  increased  the  diHiculty  and  danger  of 
our  enterprise.  Indeed,  the  westerly  gales  were  already 
of  frequent  f)ccurrcnce  ;  the  nights  had  become  long, 
and  when  I  heard  the  howling  winds  and  beating  rain, 
and  recollected  in  what  a  frail  boat  T  had  to  contend  with 
them,  I  wished  that  my  destiny  had  marked  out  for 
me  a  task  of  less  difficult  accomplishment. 


■; 


: 


i 


UlITICULTV   IN   rKOCLIllNO  Ml-N. 


CHAPTER    II. 


J 


1 


Difiicully  in  procurin^r  Mc.i.  —  rarlially  ncconiiilishcd.  —  Sail  from 
Havre.— A  Biilish  Frigate.  —  I'shant.  —  Sketcli  of  tlit-Crcw.— 
Anccdolps  of  George. —  His  Bravery  and  Fidelity.  —  t^wininiing 
after  the  Pig.  —  British  Frigate  Stag. —  Danger  of  Contact. — 
Chased  ofl"  Cadiz.  —  Boarded  from  a  French  Privateer. —  Released 
iinharnied.  —  Cape  de  Verde  Islands.  —  A  Gale.  —  Loi?e  a  Cask  of 
Water.  —  Causes  a  Necessity  of  Stopping  at  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
—  Arrival.  — Interview  with  the  Admiral  —  Many  Visitors. — 
Suspicion  of  our  Object.  —  Interview  with  Lord  Macartney. — 
Searciied  for  Papers.  —  Sell  the  Vessel.  —  Trouble  with  the  Col- 
lector.—  Appeal  to  Lord  Macartney.  —  Adjusted.  —  Tiie  Vessel 
despatched.  —  Never  heard  of  after. 

The  diniciilty  of  procuring  men  seemed  to  increase 
with  each  additional  day's  detention.  Those,  whom  1 
engaged  one  day,  wotdd  desert  the  next,  alarmed  by 
some  exaggerated  story  of  our  first  attempt.  In  the 
course  of  three  weeks,  I  sliipped  no  less  than  four  dif- 
ferent men  as  mates,  and  as  many  diflercnt  crews,  and 
each,  in  turn,  abandoned  me.  At  length  I  procured 
an  active  and  capable  young  seaman  from  a  Nantucket 
ship,  one  whom  the  captain  recommended,  as  mate, 
and  another  man  and  a  boy  in  addition  to  CJeorge,  who 
had  held  true  to  his  engagement.  I  was  desirous  of 
procuring  one  more,  but  my  attempt  to  do  so  was  un- 
successful ;  and  fearing  that,  by  any  delay  for  this  pur- 
pose, I  might  lose  those  already  on  board,  I  sailed  im- 
mediately. 

Our  expedition  had  become  a  subject  of  general  con- 


16 


FIRST  VOYAGF,.  — CAROLINE. 


versatioii  in  the  town  ;  and  the  (lifrKuilty  of  getting 
away  the  Indiaman  (as  she  was  called)  was  known  to 
every  one.  The  day,  therefore,  that  we  sailed,  the 
pier-head  was  again  thronged  with  people,  who  cheered 
us  as  we  passed  by,  wishing  us  an  bon  voyage  ;  but  no 
small  portion  of  them  considered  us  as  bound  to  certain 
destruction.  It  was  now  the  twenty-first  day  of  ])c- 
ceinber  ;  a  season  of  the  year,  when  the  loss  of  a  few 
hours  only  of  the  easterly  wind,  then  blowing,  might 
be  attended  with  disagreeable,  if  not  disastrous  conse- 
quences. We  therefore  set  all  our  sail  to  iuij)rove  it, 
and,  while  making  rapid  progress  towards  the  channel, 
were  brought  to  by  a  British  frigate,  commanded  by 
Sir  R.  Strachan.  The  boardirig  ofliccr  was  very  civil. 
He  declared  our  enterprise  to  be  a  very  daring  one  ; 
caused  us  as  little  detention  as  possible,  and,  returning 
to  his  shi]),  immediately  made  the  signal,  that  we  might 
proceed. 

It  was  soon  very  evident,  that  no  person  on  board, 
exce[)ting  the  mate  and  luyself,  was  capable  of  per- 
forming the  very  common  and  indispensable  business  of 
steering  ;  and  though  there  was  no  doubt  oiu-  men 
would  soon  learn,  yet,  in  the  mean  time,  we  had  the 
prospect  before  us  of  a  tedious,  though  not  very  labori- 
ous course  of  duty.  As  the  wind  continued  to  be  fa- 
vorable, our  passage  down  the  channel  was  easy  and 
expeditious  ;  and  the  day  after  leaving  Havre  we  passed 
by  and  in  sight  of  the  island  of  L'sliant.  We  were 
now  in  a  position  to  feel  the  full  efl'ect  of  the  westerly 
gales,  which  are  so  prevalent  at  this  season  of  the  year; 
and,  in  order  to  have  plenty  of  sea-room,  in  case  of 
encountering  one,  I  directed  a  course  to  be  steered, 
which  should  carry  us  wide  of  Cape  Ortegal. 


SKETCH  OF  Tin;  cr.KW. 


17 


: 


! 


' 


A  sufficient  time  liad  now  elapsed,  since  leaving 
Havre,  (it  being  the  third  day,)  to  give  me  a  very  tol- 
erable knowledge  of  my  crew  ;  whose  characters,  pecu- 
liarities, and  accomplishments  were  such,  that  a  sketch 
of  them  may  not  be  without  interest  to  the  render.  My 
mate,  Ueubcn  Barnes,  was  a  young  man  of  nineteen  or 
twenty,  a  native  of  Nantucket,  who,  having  been  en- 
gaged in  the  whale  fishery,  had  profited  by  that  excellent 
school  to  acquire,  not  only  the  knowledge  of  the  sea- 
man's |irofession,  but  also  enough  of  the  mechanic 
arts  to  fish  a  spar  with  dexterity,  to  caulk  a  sean),  or  to 
make  a  bucket  or  a  barrel.  The  intelligence,  activity, 
watchfulness,  and  adroitness  of  this  young  man  relieved 
me  from  much  anxiety  and  care  ;  and  in  his  conduct 
while  with  me,  he  evinced  all  the  steadiness  and  fidelity, 
which  the  recommendation  he  brought,  as  well  as  the 
place  of  his  birth,  had  led  me  to  expect. 

Decidedly  the  most  important  personage  of  my  fore- 
mast hands  was  the  black  man  George,  who  had  dared 
to  embark  on  our  second  voyage,  after  having  shared 
in  the  disasters  of  the  first.  In  his  appearance,  capaci- 
ty, and  dialect,  George  was  the  veriest  negro  that  can 
be  imagined.  For  honesty,  fidelity,  and  courage,  he 
may  have  been  ecpialled,  but  can  never  have  been  sur- 
passed. Pie  stood  about  six  feet  and  three  inches,  was 
rather  slender,  very  awkward,  and  of  a  much  more  sable 
line  than  common,  but  with  an  expression  of  counte- 
nance mild  and  pleasing.  With  simplicity  of  charac- 
ter approximating  to  folly,  he  united  a  degree  of  self- 
conceit,  which  led  him  to  believe,  that  he  could  do 
whatever  could  be  done  by  another,  and,  in  some  cases, 
to  suppose  he  could  make  great  improvements  ;  an  in- 
stance of  which  occurred  before  we  had  been  out  a 
o  * 


13 


FIRST  VOYAOE.  —  CAKOLINK. 


week.  Ill  his  previous  voyages  George  liad  been  cook, 
and  had  ihereloie  nothing  to  do  with  the  compass  ;  but 
now,  having  to  take  liis  regular  turn  at  steering,  he  was 
greatly  pu/./led  with  its  unsteadiness.  lie  could  steer 
in  the  night  with  tolerable  accuracy,  by  giving  him  a 
star  by  which  to  steer  ;  but  the  con)pass  appeared  to 
him  to  be  calculated  only  to  embarrass.  With  a  view 
of  reined}  ing  this  diiiiculty,  (Jcorge  had  taken  ofi'  tiie 
cover  to  the  till  of  his  chest,  on  whicjj  having  marked 
the  points  of  the  compass,  and  pierced  a  hole  in  the 
centre  for  the  pivot,  he  brought  it  aft,  and  with 
great  appearance  of  complacency,  and  expectation  of 
applause,  placed  it  on  deck  before  the  helmsman,  with 
the  proper  point  directed  forward  to  correspond  with 
the  course,  and  then  exclaimed,  "  Dair,  massa,  dat 
compass  be  teady  ;  (Jeorge  teer  by  him,  well  as  any- 
body." 

But  this  sim[)licity  and  conceit  was  more  than  re- 
deemed by  iiis  tried  fidelity,  and  heroic  courage,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  remarkable  instance.  (Jeorge 
had  been  a  slave  to  some  planter  in  Savannah  ;  and  one 
day,  being  in  the  woods  with  his  master,  they  encoun- 
tered an  Indian,  who  was  hunting.  Some  dispute  aris- 
ing, the  Indian,  having  the  advantage  of  being  armed, 
threatened  to  shoot  them.  In  consequence  of  this  threat, 
they  seized  him  and  took  away  his  gun  ;  but  nhv.v  a  lit- 
tle while,  and  with  urgent  entreaties  and  fair  promises 
from  him,  they  were  induced  to  return  it  ;  first  taking  the 
precaution  to  dip  it  into  water,  to  prevent  an  innnediate 
use  of  it.  This  served  again  to  rouse  the  anger  of  the 
Indian,  who  immediately  took  the  readiest  means  for 
drying  it.  In  the  mean  time  George  and  his  master 
had  entered  a  canoe,  and,  pursuing  their  way  in  a  nar- 


i 


ANECIIOTKS    OF    (iU)RC.Ii. 


19 


; 


row  river  or  creek,  had  got  a  long  distance  from  tlie 
spot  where  they  had  left  the  Inchan  ;  when,  on  looking 
hack,  they  perceived  him  niiniing  after  them  on  the 
hank.  On  arriving  ahreast  of  them  he  immediately 
took  aim,  which  (Jcorge  perceiving,  threw  himself,  as 
a  shield,  hctween  his  master  and  the  hall,  and  was  so 
severely  wounded,  that  his  hfe  was,  for  many  weeks, 
despaired  of.  After  a  confin'jment  of  six  months,  he 
entirely  recovered  ;  and,  as  a  reward,  his  master  gave 
him  his  liherty. 

At  the  time  he  engaged  with  me,  he  had  been  a  sailor 
about  two  years,  and  iiad  been  so  invariably  cheated  out 
of  his  wages,  that  he  had  no  otiier  means  of  clothing 
himself  than  the  advance  I  paid  him.  Such  treatment 
had  been  productive  of  a  tinge  of  misanthropy  ;  and  it 
was  not  until  after  long  ac(piaintance,  that  he  gave  me 
his  entire  confidence.  As  this  acquaintance  continued 
for  many  years,  (even  as  long  as  he  lived,)  and  as  he 
was  a  sharer  of  my  various  adventures,  I  shall  have  fre- 
quent occasion  to  mention  his  name  in  connexion  with 
my  own,  while  narrating  them. 

My  other  man  had  been  a  Prussian  grenadier.  He 
had  served  in  the  army  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  at 
the  time  of  his  invading  Holland  to  restore  the  authority 
of  the  Stadtholder,  and  in  other  campaigns  ;  but,  having 
a  dislike  to  the  profession,  he  had  deserted,  and  had 
been,  about  eighteen  months,  a  sailor  in  English  vessels. 
JJuring  this  time  he  had  not  acquired  such  a  knowledge 
of  steering,  that  we  could  leave  him  at  the  helm  without 
watching  him  ;  and  however  brave  he  may  have  been 
in  the  ranks,  he  was  the  veriest  coward  iniaginabie, 
when  called  to  the  performance  of  duties  aloft,  in  ad- 
dition to  this  incapacity,  he  possessed  a  most  ungovern- 


20 


FinST   VOYAGK.  —  CAUOLINE. 


able  temper  ;  and,  being  a  powerful  man,  we  had  con- 
siderable dirticiilty  in  keeping  liini,  at  all  times,  in  a 
state  of  subordination  ;  a  diflicully  whirli  was,  in  some 
degree,  augmented  by  his  very  imperfect  knowledge  of 
our  language,  and  the  consequent  embarrassment  he 
found  in  making  himself  understood. 

The  last,  as  well  as  least,  of  our  nimibers  was  a  little 
French  boy  of  fourteen  years,  who  possessed  all  the 
vivacity  peculiar  to  his  countrymen,  and  who,  having 
been  some  time  on  board  the  Carmagnole  and  other  pri- 
vateers, had  acquired  many  of  the  tricks  of  a  finished 
man-of-war's  man.  Some  months'  residence  in  an  Eng- 
lish prison  had  given  him  the  conunand  of  a  few  Knglisli 
words  ;  but  they  were  not  of  a  selection  that  intlicated 
much  care  in  the  teacher. 

It  was  not  uncommon  for  Ceorge,  the  Prussian 
grenadier,  and  the  French  boy,  to  get  into  a  warm  de- 
bate on  the  relative  merits  of  their  respective  countries  ; 
for  they  were  all  men  of  great  vivacity  and  patriotism  ; 
and  sometimes  (probably  from  not  underslanchng  each 
other)  they  would  become  so  angry,  as  to  render  it 
necessary  for  the  mate  to  interfere  lo  restore  tranquilli- 
ty. At  inch  moments  I  used  to  think,  that  if  Hogarth 
could  have  been  an  observer,  his  genius  would  have 
done  justice  to  the  grou|).  It  may  fairly  be  presumed, 
however,  that  such  a  ship's  company,  lor  an  India 
voyage,  was  never  before  seen,  and,  moreover,  that 
"  we  ne'er  shall  look  upon  its  like  again." 

For  several  days  after  passing  the  Isle  of  U.shant, 
the  wind  was  light  from  northwest  and  west-north- 
west, accompanied  with  a  heavy  swell  from  that  quar- 
ter ;  and  though  our  progress  was,  in  consequence, 
slow,   it  was   proportionally  comfortable.      Before  we 


I 


imiii.-'ii  iiiKJA'Ji;  .'^TA(i. 


31 


110 

of 

lie 


I 


-. 


liiid  n?a'Iio(l  tlio  latitude  of  Cape  Finisterre,  the  light 
wind,  hcfoic  which  we  had  hecn  sailing  wiih  all  our 
canvass  spread,  died  away,  and  left  us,  some  hours, 
hecalnicd.  ]-)nring  this  time  one  of  our  j)igs  liad  got 
overhoard,  and  was  swinmiing  away  from  the  vessel, 
(jeorge,  heing  an  exeelleiit  su  inuner,  did  not  hesitate  to 
go  after  him  ;  hut  when  he  had  caught  him,  at  the  dis- 
tance from  us  of  ahuiit  twenty  fathoms,  a  light  pull"  of 
wind,  termed  by  seamen  a  cal's-jjaw,  took  tiie  sails  aback, 
and  suddenly  increased  our  distance  from  (Jeorge,  who, 
perceiving  it,  and  becoming  alarmed,  let  go  the  pig,  and 
swam  for  the  vessel,  crying  out  lustily,  as  he  approached, 
"  1  dead,  I  dead."  As  he  had  not  been  long  in  the 
water,  nor  used  such  exertion  as  to  cause  extraordinary 
exhaustion,  I  was  apprehensive,  that  he  might  be  at- 
tacked by  a  shark.  We  threw  towards  him  a  spar, 
and  set  immediately  about  clearing  away  the  boat  ;  but 
before  we  could  be  ready  to  launch  it,  George  had 
seized  the  spar,  and,  by  its  aid,  had  succeeded  in  get- 
ting along-side.  When  taken  on  board  he  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  express  his  belief,  that  our  going  from  him  was 
intentional,  and  that,  had  the  breeze  continued,  we 
should  have  left  him  for  the  purpose  of  saving  his  wages. 
Nor  was  it  until  after  long  experience,  and  repeatedly 
receiving  his  wages,  when  due,  that  he  would  acknowl- 
edge that  lie  had  judged  me  erroneously. 

The  day  succeeding  this  adventure  we  had  another, 
which  had  nearly  brought  our  voyage  to  a  close.  Early 
in  the  morning  we  fell  in  with  the  British  frigate,  Stag. 
'IMie  wind  was  so  light,  and  its  influence  on  the  nianceu- 
vrcs  of  the  ship  so  counteracted  by  a  deep  and  hollow 
swell,  that,  getting  sternway,  her  counter  came  in  con- 
tact with  our  broadside  with  a  tremendous  force,  which 


22 


FIRST   VOYAGE.  -  CAROlJNt:. 


M 


tlirealenecl  immediate  destruction,  and  which  must  have 
been  the  result,  but  for  the  order,  instantly  given  and 
obeyed,  to  "  fill  away."  This  saved  us  from  a  second 
shock  ;  and  we  were  happy  to  perceive  we  had  re- 
ceived no  other  damage  than  that  of  breaking  the  rail. 
The  oflicer  of  the  frigate  very  politely  oli'ered  to  send 
their  carpenter  on  board  to  repair  this  ;  but  I  declined, 
from  my  desire  of  not  losing  a  moment's  time  in  ad- 
vancing towards  those  latitudes,  where  gales  of  wind 
were  of  less  frequent  occurrence.  When  we  were  re- 
leased from  this  visit,  the  mate  immediately  set  about 
exercising  his  ingenuity  as  carpenter  ;  and,  with  great 
application,  he  completed  the  repairs,  in  a  workman- 
like manner,  on  the  third  day  after  meeting  the  accident. 

We  had  now  advanced  far  into  the  second  week  of 
our  departure.  The  wind,  though  light,  was  fair,  and 
the  prospect  was  favorable  for  the  continuance  of  good 
weather.  These  encouraging  circumstances  led  me  to 
hope,  that  we  should  reach  the  tropical  latitudes  without 
encountering  a  gale,  and  also,  without  meeting,  what 
was  more  to  be  dreaded,  any  one  of  those  Spaniish  or 
French  privateers,  which  had  frequented  the  track  we 
were  |)assing,  and  whose  conduct,  in  many  instances,  to 
defenceless  merchant  vessels,  had  nearly  equaiicd  that 
of  the  ancient  buccaneers. 

We  had  jjassed  by  many  vessels,  but  had  carefully 
avoided  speaking  with  any  one.  At  length,  on  a  very 
fine  morning,  as  the  siui  rose,  and  when  we  were  about 
fifty  leagues  west  of  Cadiz,  we  perceived  a  small  sail  in 
the  northwest.  At  ten  o'clock  she  was  equally  plain 
to  be  seen  ;  and  by  noon  we  were  satisfied  she  was  in 
chase  of,  and  was  gaining  on  us.  We  kept  s'.cadily  on 
our  course,  hoping  that  an  increase  of  wi';d  would  give 


B(X»:U)ED    FRO.M    A   FRK.N'riI    I'lll V.ATKr.lt. 


23 


j, 


:l 


us  an  advantage,  or  that  some  oilier  object  miglit  divert 
their  attention.  But  our  hopes  were  fallacious.  The 
wind  rather  decreased  ;  and  when  this  was  the  case, 
we  observed  she  appeaitjd  to  approach  us  faster.  B}' 
two  o'clock  we  perceived  she  had  lalleen  tails,  and 
hence  had  no  doubt  of  her  being  a  privateer.  Soon 
after  she  began  to  fire  at  us,  but  (he  balls  fell  niuch 
short.  As  the  wind  continued  very  light,  it  was  soon 
apparent,  that  we  could  not  escape,  as  we  perceived 
that  her  progress  was  accelerated  by  means  of  a  multitude 
of  sweeps.  To  run  any  longer  would  only  have  been 
incurring  the  risk  of  irritating  the  captain  of  the  bucca- 
neer ;  we  therefore  rounded  to,  and  prepaied  to  be 
plundered. 

As  they  came  up  with  us,  about  five  o'clock,  they 
gave  such  a  shout  of  "  Bonne  prise  !  bonne  prise  l^''  as 
would  be  expected  from  banditti  subject  to  no  control  ; 
but  I  felt  considerable  relief  in  the  peisuasion,  that,  as 
their  flag  indicated,  they  were  French,  and  not  Spanish. 
After  the  shouting  had  ceased,  1  was  ordered,  in  very 
coarse  terms,  to  hoist  out  my  boat  and  come  on  board 
with  my  papers.  I  replied  that  1  had  not  men  suf- 
ficient to  put  out  the  boat.  The  order  was  reiterated, 
accompanied  with  a  threat  of  firing  into  us.  1  then  sent 
my  men  below,  and  waited  the  result,  which  was,  that 
they  got  out  their  own  boat.  The  oflicer,  who  came 
on  board,  1  suppose  to  have  been  the  captain  himself, 
from  the  circumstance  of  his  l)eing  a  very  intelligent 
man,  and  from  my  presence  not  being  reijuircd  on  board 
the  |)iivateer.  A  cursory  examination  of  our  papers 
convinced  him  of  our  neutral  character  ;  and  the  exhi- 
bition of  a  passport  with  a  seal  and  signature  of  one 
high   in   authority  in   the    J"'rench  government,  while   it 


24 


FIRf  ■!    VOYAGE.  —  (  AOlOniWB. 


astonished,  seemed  also  to  satiii^  Mm,  that  the  less 
trouhlo  and  detention  he  cave  tt«  aiius"  belter  ;  as  he  im- 
mediately ordered  his  ruffians  t©  a&ssittt  from  clearing 
away  for  opening  the  hatches,  wiIik-Ou  they  had  already 
bee;im,  and  to  go  on  board  ibeir  ilictui,  where,  after  wish- 
ing me  a  good  voyage,  and  regrefiniinr  the  detention  he 
had  caused,  he  joined  them;  nndi  rh-ey  returned  to 
their  privateer  and  sailed  in  purssiJa  ("if  oth'r  adventures. 

The  result  of  this  rencontre  ■»»«  '•_:-.  'iun  I  had 
anticipated  ;  aware,  as  I  was,  cxf  nhe  gi^noral  insubordi- 
nation on  board  of  vessels  of  tliiik- dieacriplion.  1  had 
feared,  that  even  if  the  chief  had  Ikeen  di-[iosed  to  pre- 
vent his  men  from  plunderiiic,  liii  would  not  have  been 
in  his  power  ;  and  I  was  much  indiisMtad.  by  finding  my- 
self mistaken. 

Pursuing  a  course  for  the  Cuije  rfe  Verde  Islands, 
we  came  in  sight  of  then),  the  likiiitiieth  day  from  leav- 
ing Havre.  It  was  my  inientlow  m>  *rop  at  Port  Praya, 
to  obtain  a  supply  of  fruit  and  a>?!rerables  ;  but  f  uns 
prevented  by  a  gale  of  wind,  w  i^iiii^h.  we  lay  to.  ' ,. ;  \  e 
hours,  and  had  a  fair  opjtoiiuufij  <of  testinjr  !■  .  >  d 
properties  of  the  vessel  (or  niiuH  important  p  . '  '^ 
This  was  the  only  gale  t  an^' iaverity  that  we  eXj  ■■- 
rienced  during  the  pnssage  ■;  miir  as  evidence  that  it 
was  of  no  inconsiderable  vioikiure,.  a  sh.p  came  into 
the  Cape  of  Good  Ho[)e,  thrt*  days  after  our  arrival 
there,  which  bad  lost  her  mizs«rnatif  in  the  same  gale. 

It  is  well  known  to  all  «  bo  isuiwe  crossed  the  ocean, 
and  may  easily  be  imacined  ilw"  phose  wIs'-  ''ave  not, 
that  a  passage  at  sea  preseotf  iiO)  nJiut  obf^ervt-  '  sit?  eK-c, 
from  day  to  day,  tlian  the  fumtt  unboimded,  ;;nd  (in 
tropical  cliines)  iinvar  ed  h  rtffion  ;  the  same  abyss  of 
waters,  agitated,  !!Oit:  ar  •*.  ^- i»  ir  is   acted   upon   by 


( 

a( 

0 

th 

W( 

W( 


APPROACH  THE  CAPE  OF  GOOD  HOPE. 


35 


I 


the  wind  ;  the  same  routine  of  duties  to  be  performed 
on  board,  which,  in  the  trade  winds,  have  seldom  even 
the  ordinary  excitement,  caused  by  rcchicing  and  maliing 
sail  ;  and  when  this  monotonous  round  is  interrupted, 
by  speaking  a  vessel,  by  catching  a  j)orpoise,  or  by 
seeing  a  whale,  the  incident  is  seized  with  avidity  as 
an  important  item  to  be  inserted  in  the  ship's  log-book, 
or  journal  of  the  day's  transactions. 

As  our  experience  was  of  this  kind,  1  have  only  to 
notice,  that  we  crossed  the  equator  in  the  longitude  of 
25^  ;  and  that  we  met  with  no  occurrence,  worthy 
of  note,  from  the  linie  of  om-  leaving  the  Cape  de 
Verde  Islands  to  our  arrival  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Ho|)e,  excepting,  that  one  night,  when  going  before  the 
wind  with  a  strong  breeze,  the  Prussian  soldier  brought 
over  the  main  boom  with  such  violence,  as  to  part  the 
sheet,  and  rouse  all  hands  from  their  slumbers.  As 
there  was  a  considerable  sea,  it  was  not  without  great 
difliculty  and   risk,  that  the  boom   was   again  secured. 

After  passing  the  ccpiator,  we  discovered,  that  one 
of  our  casks  of  water  had  nearly  leaked  out  ;  and,  hav- 
ing failed  to  fdl  up  the  empty  ones,  it  was  doubtful 
if  we  had  suflicient  to  carry  us  to  the  Isle  of  France. 
This  consideration,  and  the  desire  of  obtaining  refresh- 
ments and  a  short  respite  from  the  fatigue  and  anxie- 
ty of  such  a  passage,  determined  me  to  stop  at  the 
C;i|)e  ;  as  I  believed,  alb.o,  that  our  cargo  might  be  sold 
advantageously  there. 

Shaping  our  course,  accordingly,  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  Table  Mount,  on  the  21st  of  March,  171)S,  just 
three  months  from  the  time  of  our  leaving  Havre.  We 
were  so  near  in  before  dark  as  to  perceive,  that  we 
were  signalled  at  the   lion's  head,  but  were  not  able  to 

VOL.    I.  3 


26 


FIR.ST  VOYAGE.  —CAUOLINB. 


reach  the  anchorage  until  between  nine  and  ten  oVlock 
in  the  evening.  We  had  scarcely  dropped  our  anchor, 
when  we  were  boarded  by  a  uian-of-war's  boat  ;  the  of- 
ficer of  which,  finding  we  were  from  France,  innuc- 
diately  hurried  nie  ashore,  in  my  sea  garb,  to  see  ihe 
Admiral,  (Sir  Hugh  C  Christian,)  who,  surrounded  by 
a  group  of  naval  officers,  appeared  very  earnest  for 
such  European  news  as  I  could  give  them.  After 
passing  nearly  an  hour  with  the  Admiral,  who  treated 
me  with  great  civility,  and  answering  the  many  (pies- 
tions  wdiich  were  asked  by  the  company,  the  ofllccr, 
who  took  me  from  my  vessel,  was  desired  to  convey 
me  on  board  again  ;  an  hour  having  been  previously 
named  by  the  Admiral,  at  which  1  was  to  meet  him,  the 
next  morning,  at  the  government-house. 

The  arrival  of  such  a  vessel  from  Europe  naturally 
excited  the  curiosity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Cape  ; 
and  the  next  morning,  being  calm,  we  had  numerous 
visitors  on  board,  who  could  not  disguise  their  astonish- 
ment at  the  size  of  the  vessel,  the  boyish  appearance 
of  the  master  and  mate,  the  queer  and  iniique  characters 
of  the  two  men  and  boy  who  constituted  the  crew,  and 
the  length  of  the  passage  we  had  accomplished. 

Various  were  the  conjectures  of  the  good  ])eo])le  of 
the  Cape,  as  to  the  real  object  of  our  enterprise. 
While  some  among  them  viewed  it  in  its  true  light,  that 
of  a  commercial  speculation,  others  believed,  that, 
under  this  mask,  we  were  employed  by  the  French 
government  for  the  conveyance  of  their  des|)atches  ; 
and  some  even  went  so  far  as  to  declare  a  belief,  that 
we  were  French  spies,  and,  as  such,  deserving  of  im- 
mediate arrest  and  confuiement.     Indeed,  our  entcr[)rise 


INTERVIKVV.      SUSI'ICIOX. 


27 


formed  the  princijKil  dienie  of  conversation  at  the  dnpe, 
during  the  week  subsequent  to  oiu'  ariival. 

At  the  hour  appointed  1  presented  myself  at  the 
government-house,  and  was  introduced  to  the  Governor, 
Lord  Macartney,  in  whose  company  I  found,  also,  the 
Admiral.  There  was  so  much  urbanity  and  affability  in 
the  reception  I  met  with  from  the  Governor  as  well  as 
the  Admiral,  that  it  inspired  me  with  confidence,  and 
prevented  my  feeling  any  embarrassment.  The  Gover- 
nor very  [)olitely  handed  me  a  chair  ;  and,  seated  be- 
tween these  two  distinguished  men,  I  was  prepared  to 
answer,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  such  questions  as 
they  should  ask  me,  and  to  give  them  all  the  late  in- 
formation respecting  European  afl'airs,  that  my  residence 
in  that  country,  and  my  recent  departure,  enal)led  me 
to  do.  It  was  just  at  this  period,  that  the  flotilla  were 
assembling,  in  the  ports  of  the  channel,  for  the  invasion 
of  Kngland  ;  and  on  this  subject,  in  particular,  tiiey 
were  very  earnest  to  obtain  information,  seeming  to  be 
not  without  apprehension,  that  an  invasion  was  really 
intended.  While  I  related  to  them  what  had  come  un- 
der my  own  observation  with  regard  to  the  preparation, 
and  what  1  had  heard  from  others,  J  expressed  to  thcin 
my  belief,  founded  on  the  desperate  nature  of  the  un- 
dertaking, that  nothing  more  was  intended  by  it,  than  to 
keep  1''ngland  in  a  state  of  alarm,  and  to  cause  a  cor- 
responding increase  of  expenses. 

Having  interrogated  me  to  their  satisfaction  on  tiie 
political  affairs  oi'  France,  they  adverted  to  the  more 
liumble  business  of  the  object  of  my  enterprise,  which 
the  Adtniral  did  not  hesitate  to  declare  he  believed  to 
b(!  lor  the  conveyance  of  despatches  for  the  French 
government  ;   and,  in  this  belief,  informed   me,   that  he 


28 


FIRST   VOYAGE.  —  CAUOLINE. 


should  lake  measures  to  prevent  itiy  going  to  the  Isle 
of  Fiance.  At  the  same  time,  and  as  an  additional 
evideni-e  of  this  persuasion,  he  had  ordered,  that  a 
searcii  should  he  made  on  hoard  my  vessel  for  the 
sup|)osed  despatches,  and  that  all  the  papers  and  letters, 
found  on  hoard,  should  he  hrought  to  hin).  Conse- 
quently, my  journal,  hook  of  accounts,  and  private  let- 
ters aiid  papers  were  suhmilled  to  his  inspection  ;  and 
the  letters  1  had  for  French  gcnllemen  in  the  Mauritius 
were  all  hroken  open. 

On  the  conclusion  of  my  visit  to  the  Governor,  who 
gave  me  permission  to  dispose  of  my  cargo  here  if  I 
desired,  I  went  to  the  house  of  an  old  acquaintance, 
where  1  had  lodged  in  a  former  voyage,  and  in  what  he 
considered  more  propitious  times.  Both  he  and  his 
family  seemed  glad  to  see  me,  and  invited  me  to  take 
up  my  lodgings  there  again  ;  hut  the  safety  of  my  ves- 
sel required  my  presence  on  hoard  not  less  in  port  than 
at  sea,  and  I  therefore  declined. 

The  day  following,  my  papers  and  letters  were  re- 
turned to  me  hy  the  secretaiy  of  the  Admiral  ;  and  I 
was  surprised  hy  a  pro|)Osition  from  him  for  the  [)ur- 
chase  of  my  vessel.  1  delayed  giving  an  answer  until 
the  next  day  ;  and  in  the  mean  time  my  inquiries  led 
me  to  helicve,  that  my  cargo  would  sell  advantageous- 
ly ;  hut  there  was  nothing  hut  s|)ecie,  which  would  an- 
swer my  j)urpose  to  take  away  for  it,  and  this  was  pro- 
hihited.  With  a  provision  for  the  removal  of  this 
difliculty,  and  a  good  price  for  my  vessel,  1  was  pre- 
pared to  negotiate  with  the  secretary.  IMeeting  him, 
therefore,  at  the  time  appointed,  and  heing  hoth  what 
in  trade  is  called  otl'-hand  men,  we  soon  closed  the 
hargain,  hy  his  engaging  to  pay  me,  on  delivery  of  the 


TlUtlJULE  WITH  ']'IIK   ('OI-LKCTOK. 


29 


Caroline  and  stores,  five  tlioiisand  Spanish  dc'llars,  and 
to  obtain  for  nie  permission  to  export  ten  thousand. 
This  so  far  exceeded  the  cost  of  the  vessel,  and  was 
even  so  much  more  than  I  had  expected  to  receive  at 
the  Isle  of  France,  that  I  considered  myself  already  well 
indemnified  for  all  my  trouble  and  anxiety. 

As  the  Admiral  was  pressing  to  have  the  vessel  dis- 
charged, it  was  ni)'  intention  to  land  the  cargo,  next 
day,  on  my  own  account  ;  but,  in  the  mean  time,  I 
contracted  with  the  merchant,  at  whose  house  I  now  re- 
sided, for  the  whole  of  it,  at  a  moderate  advance  on  the 
invoice  ;  it  being  agreed  that  he  was  to  pay  the  duties, 
the  expense  of  landing,  &c.  My  spirits  were  now 
much  elevated  with  my  success,  and  with  the  prospect 
of  soon  being  rid  of  the  Caroline  and  of  the  care  in- 
separable from  having  such  a  vessel,  so  circumstanced. 

IJut  1  was  allowed  but  a  short  period  to  my  exulta- 
tion ;  new  and  alarmi:ig  difiu-ulties  awaited  me,  of  which 
T  had  no  suspicion,  and  which  were  more  harassing 
than  the  dangers  of  the  viiids  and  the  waves.  It  ap- 
peared, that  the  duties  on  entries  at  the  custom-house 
were  a  percentage  on  the  invoice,  and  that  it  was  a 
very  common  practice  with  the  merchants  to  make 
short  entries.  The  purchaser  was  aware,  that  to  stand 
on  equal  footing  with  other  merchants  he  must  do  as 
they  did  ;  but  he  seems  not  to  have  reflected,  that, 
being  known  to  be  more  hostile  to  the  English  govern- 
ment than  any  other  individual  at  the  Cape,  he  would 
be  rigidly  watched,  and,  if  detected,  would  have  less 
indulgence  than  any  other.  The  consequence  was  a 
detection  of  the  short  entry  and  seizure  of  vessel  and 
cargo.  The  merchant  went  inmiediately,  in  a  suppli- 
cating mood,  to  the  collector,  in  the  hope  of  arranging 
3* 


30 


FIRST  VOYAGE.  —  CAROLINE. 


the  ad'air  before  it  slioiild  become  generally  known  j 
but  it  was  all  in  vain. 

The  only  alternative,  which  seemed  now  to  be  left 
me,  was  to  appeal  to  the  highest  authoriiy  ;  and  I  de- 
termined to  write  to  Lord  Macartney,  and  j)rove  to 
him,  tliat,  by  my  contract  for  the  sale  of  the  cargo,  tiie 
duties  were  not  to  be  paid  by  me,  and  that,  conse- 
quently, 1  should  have  derived  no  benefit,  had  the  at- 
temj)t  for  evading  them  succeeded,  but  that,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  the  vessel  and  cargo  were  to  be  confis- 
cated, 1  should  be  the  sufi'erer,  as  it  was  doubtful  if  the 
merchant  could  make  good  the  loss.  I  hoped  that  he 
might  thus  be  induced  to  advise  a  less  severe  course 
than  the  collector  intended  to  pursue.  But  how  to 
write  a  suitable  letter  embarrassed  me.  I  had  no  friend 
with  whom  to  advise.  1  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
manner  of  addressing  a  nobleman,  and  at  the  same  time 
was  aware  of  the  necessity  of  doing  it  with  propriety. 
In  this  dilemma,  I  remembered  to  have  seen,  in  an  old 
magazine  on  board,  some  letters  addressed  to  noblemen. 
These  I  sought  as  models  ;  and  they  were  a  useful 
guide  to  me.  After  1  had  completed  my  letter  in  my 
best  hand,  and  enclosed  it  in  a  neat  envelope,  I  showed 
it  to  the  Admiral's  secretary,  who  appeared  to  be  friend- 
ly to  me.  He  approved  of  it,  and  advised  my  taking 
it  myself  to  his  Lordship  immediately. 

As  the  schoolboy  approaches  his  master  after  having 
played  truant,  so  did  I  approach  Lord  INIacartney  on  this 
occasion.  1  delivered  my  letter  to  him  ;  and,  after  hasti- 
ly reading  it,  he  sternly  said,  "he  could  not  interfere  in 
the  business  ;  there  were  the  laws,  and  if  they  had  been 
infringed,  the  parties  concerned  must  abide  the  conse- 
quence "  ;  but  added,  "  he  would  speak  to  the  collec- 


i 


a 

for 
thi 
pr. 
toi 


los 


hir 


LOSS    OF  THE    CAROLINE. 


3t 


i 


tor  on  the  subject."  Tliis  addition,  delivered  in  rather 
a  milder  tone,  led  mc  to  encourage  the  hope,  that  the 
afTair  would  not  end  so  disastrously  as  if  left  entirely  to 
the  discretion  of  the  collector.  Nor  were  my  hopes 
unfounded  ;  as,  the  next  day,  the  vessel,  and  that  part 
of  the  cargo  yet  remaining  on  hoard,  were  restored  to 
me  ;  while  the  portion  in  possession  of  the  collector 
was  to  be  adjudged  in  the  fiscal  court,  where  it  was 
eventually  condemned,  to  the  amount  of  about  two  thou- 
sand dollars.*  The  success  of  my  letter  was  a  theme 
of  public  conversation  in  the  town,  and  was  the  means 
of  procuring  me  the  acquaintance  of  several  individuals 
of  the   first  respectability. 

The  delay,  caused  by  this  controversy  with  the  col- 
lector, was  unfavorable  to  the  views  of  the  Admiral, 
who  began  to  evince  syn)])toms  of  impatience,  and 
would,  probably,  have  taken  out  the  cargo  with  his  own 
men,  if  we  had  not  set  about  it  with  earnestness,  as 
soon  as  the  vessel  was  released  from  seizure.  Having, 
the  day  following,  completed  the  unlading,  I  delivered 
the  vessel  to  the  officer  who  was  authorized  to  take  pos- 
session. In  two  days  after,  she  was  expedited,  with 
a  lieutenant  and  competent  number  of  men  (T  believe 
for  India)  ;  and,  in  a  subserpient  voyage,  I  learned 
that  she  had  never  been  heard  of  afterwards.  It  is 
probable,  that  ihe  officer  in  charge,  having  been  accus- 
tomed only  to  large  and  square-rigged  vessels,  was  not 
aware  of  the  delicacy  of  management,  which  one  so 
small  and  differently  rigged,  required  ;  and  to  this  her 
loss  may  be  attributed. 

The  various  drawbacks  on  my  cargo,  arising   from 


'  As  a  favor  to  llic  iiicrclianl,  1  consontud  to  share  the  loss  with 


him. 


32 


FIRST  VOYAGE— CAROLINE. 


seizure,  some  damage,  and  some  abatement,  reduced 
the  net  proceeds  to  about  the  original  cost.  This,  with 
the  amount  of  the  vessel,  I  collected  in  Spanish  dol- 
lars, making  together,  after  my  various  disbursements, 
the  sum  of  eleven  thousand  dollars,  \vhich  I  kept  in 
readiness  to  embark  in  the  first  vessel  that  should  enter 
the  bay  on  her  way  to  India  or  China.  I  was  obliged, 
however,  to  wait  several  months  before  any  such  chance 
offered.  In  the  mean  time,  my  long  residence  and 
leisure  at  the  Cape  afforded  me  the  opportunity  of 
becoming  acquainted  with  many  families,  and  of  visiting 
many  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Town. 


DESCRIPTION    OF   THE    CAPE. 


33 


CHAP  T  i:  II    III. 


Description  of  tlic  C;ii)p. —  Of  llic  Town.  —  Eff"'*'!  of  Snnllieast 
Wind. —  Devil's  Table  Clolii. —  Season  of  VVesteily  CJali's. — 
J)an;,f('rous  to  llie  Sliippinjj;. —  Losh  of  the  Srpptre. —  Loss  of  Ship 
J('Hirs(]n. —  Notice  of  tlie  liilinliilniits. — Their  Feejiiij^rs  under 
the  ncliial  Covernincnt.  —  {Siinon's  Hay.  —  Constantia. —  Signal 
Hill. —  Kesidence  and  Resource  of  the  Man  stationed  there. — 
Tahle  Mountain.  —  The  Ascent  and  \'iew  tlierefroin. —  Perilous 
Situation.  —  Mode  of  Kescue.  —  Descent  and  Return  to  Town. 


TiiK  formaiion  of  tliis  Cape  is  so  remarkable,  as  to 
make  a  lasting  impression  on  the  memory  of  those  who 
have  once  seen  it.  The  grotip  of  lofty  and  steep  hills, 
called  the  Devil's  Mount,  the  Table-Land,  the  Sugar- 
Loaf,  and  the  Lion's  Run)p,  form  a  barrier  on  the  south 
and  the  east  sides  of  the  town,  which  appears  almost  im- 
passable. On  a  plain,  at  the  foot  of  these  hills,  and  on 
the  border  of  Table  Bay,  is  situated  the  beautiful  town 
of  the  Cape.  It  presents  a  fine  appearance  when  seen 
from  the  bay,  and  seems  to  jiossess  all  that  neatness 
which  is  an  acknowledged  characteristic  of  t  Dutch. 
The  streets  are  parallel  to  each  other,  and  are  kept 
very  clean.  There  is  a  large  square  for  a  parade 
ground,  at  the  north  part  of  the  town,  which  is  bound- 
ed by  a  canal  bordered  with  a  double  row  of  trees. 
The  Company's  garden,  as  it  is  called,  is  a  space  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  acres  on  the  east  side  of  the  town.  It 
is  enclosed  by  a  wall,  and  laid  out  in  handsome  walks, 
and  fornis   one   of  the   most  delightful  lounges  in  the 


34 


FinST  VOYAGE. 


world.  In  a  retired  part  of  this  garden,  and  almost  liid- 
dcn  with  trees,  is  the  residence  of  the  governor.  Most 
of  tlie  houses  consist  of  two  stories,  and  arc  covered 
with  plaster  ;  whicii  being  whitewashed  every  year,  they 
have  an  uncommonly  neat  appearance. 

During  the  sunnner  months  the  inhabitants  are  great- 
ly annoyed  by  the  clouds  of  sand  which  arc  raised  by 
the  southeast  wind,  which  is  often  so  violent  as  to 
compel  them  to  keep  within  doors,  and  penetrates  into 
all  the  crevices  of  doors  and  windows  which  have  not 
been  carefully  closed.  These  gales,  w'  •'"h  last  two  or 
three  days,  are  followed  by  calms  ;  ight  variable 
winds  for  the  same  length  of  time.  Li..,..j^  these  gales, 
and  for  some  time  before,  the  top  of  the  tableland  is 
enveloped  in  thick  clouds,  which  the  people  of  the  Cape 
call  the  Devil's  Table-cloth.  Although  these  winds 
are  often  so  violent  as  to  prevent  communication  with 
the  shipping  in  the  bay,  yet  they  are  rarely  the  cause  of 
any  disaster.  Not  so  with  the  westerly  gales  which 
prevail  in  the  months  of  June,  July,  and  August,  and 
bring  in  a  sea  which  it  is  impossible  to  resist. 

A  melancholy  instance  of  the  power  of  these  gales 
was  seen  in  the  loss  of  the  English  sixtyfour-gim  sliip 
Sceptre,  with  nearly  all  her  crew.  The  Dutch  East 
Indiamen  were  exclusively  confined  to  the  use  of  Si- 
mon's Bay  at  this  season  of  the  year.  In  times  of 
peace  it  was  common  for  the  vessels  of  all  nations,  on 
their  way  to  and  from  India,  to  touch  at  this  place  for 
refreshments  ;  and  then,  almost  every  house  was  oj)en 
for  the  reception  of  the  captains  and  officers  for  a  mode- 
rate compensation.  But  the  vexations,  experienced  by 
neutral  commerce  at  this  period,  were  enough  to  dis- 
courage most  navigators  from  stopping  there.     While  I 


I    felt  b 


>■ 


lish 


many  a 
a  coM(| 
was  ve 
even  c 
Engiisl 


NOTitn  OF  Titr;  inhabitants. 


35 


was  there,  the  ship  JelFerson  of  Boston  was  f'()iii|iclled 
to  come  in,  from  having  hoen  six  months  on  lier  way 
from  Boston  to  India.  Tlie  snspicions  of  the  govern- 
ment were  ronsed  ;  and,  not  satisfied  wilh  the  examina- 
tion of  the  log-book  and  papers,  they  cansed  iier  to  he 
entirely  unladed.  And  although  she  was  at  length  leleas- 
ed,  yet  before  she  could  get  away,  a  gale  came  on  from 
the  west,  in  which  she  went  ashore  and  was  totally  lost. 
'i"he  climate  of  the  C^a|)o  is  very  healthy  ;  which 
blessing  many  of  the  inhabitants  attribute  to  the  preva- 
lence of  the  high  winds  ;  yet  it  i  observed,  that  in- 
stances of  longevity  are  very  rare,  and  that  few  old  [)er- 
sons  arc  met  with.  'J'he  native  citizens  are,  for  the 
most  j)art,  hospitable,  friendly,  and  allable.  A  love  of 
ease  and  relaxation,  and  an  aversion  to  much  activity  of 
body  or  mind,  are  striking  characteristics  in  the  men. 
The  ladies  are,  generally,  very  pretty,  have  fine  com- 
jdcxions,  graceful  and  pleasing  manners,  and  cultivated 
minds.  The  invariable  and  universal  siesta  causes  a 
midnight  silence  and  seclusion  for  the  two  or  three 
hours  innnediately  succeeiling  dinner.  All  the  domes- 
tics, and  most  of  the  mechanics,  arc  slaves  ;  and,  as  far 
as  1  had  an  opportmiity  of  observing,  they  are  treated 
with  more  humanity  than  is  generally  supposed.  Not- 
withstanding the  increase  of  buildings,  and  the  rise  in 
value  of  real  estate,  as  well  as  various  other  advantages, 
felt  by  the  inhabitants  since  they  submitted  to  the  Kng- 
lish  government,  there  was,  nevertheless,  observable  in 
many  an  impatience  of  a  foreign  yoke,  a  feeling  of  being 
a  coiupiered  people,  and  a  sense  of  degradation,  which 
was  very  natural,  and  which  would  not  be  easily  efi'aced 
even  under  the  mild  and  ecpiitable  government  of  the 
English. 


36 


FinST  VOYAGE. 


In  company  \vilh  a  native  merchant  I  made  an  ex- 
cursion to  Simon's  Bay,  and  to  the  pretty  estate  of 
Constantia.  Not  being  able  to  procure  lodgings  on 
shore,  we  passed  a  night  on  boaid  an  American  ship, 
which,  together  with  several  English  men-of-war  and 
Indiainen,  was  lying  for  security  in  Simon's  Bay.  At 
Constantia  we  were  entertained  with  great  hospitality 
and  politeness  by  the  proprietor,  who  showed  us  every 
part  of  his  beautiful  estate,  which,  for  extreme  neatness, 
as  well  as  for  profit,  is  unrivalled.  The  wine,  made  at 
this  ])lace,  is  well  known  in  Europe  and  in  the  United 
States  ;  though  it  is  said,  that  more  than  treble  the 
quantity  produced  on  this  estate,  is  annually  sold  luider 
the  name  of  Constantia.  Its  peculiar  flavor  is  attributed 
to  the  properties  of  the  soil  ;  all  attempts  to  produce 
the  same  elsewhere  having  failed. 

An  excursion  to  the  flag-stafF  on  Sugar-Loaf  Hill 
was  an  afternoon's  lubor  of  no  easy  accomplishment. 
Before  reaching  the  top,  there  are  several  perpendicular 
precipices  of  ten  to  fifteen  feet  to  climb  ;  and  ropes  are 
fastened  to  bolts,  inserted  in  the  rocks,  to  aid  the  as- 
cent. The  man,  who  is  stationed  here  to  signal  the 
approach  of  vessels,  is  provided  with  a  small  brass  can- 
non and  several  flags  ;  the  former  to  announce  a  sail  in 
the  horizon,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  citizens  ;  the  latter  to  denote  the  kind  of 
vessel  and  tiio  nation  to  which  she  belongs.  liy  these 
means,  information  of  the  ap|)roach  of  a  vessel  is  given, 
many  hours  before  her  arrival  in  the  bay.  The  hahifa- 
lion  of  this  man  is  so  confined,  that  his  residence  there 
would  be  considered  a  cruel  j)iinishnicni,  were  it  not 
volutilary.  It  is  a  mere  dog-kennel,  partly  formed 
by  the  rock,  and   partly  artificial,  but  barely  sufficient 


morn  I 

guide, 

beint 

rassa)(| 

were 

we  CO 

duou;; 

accon 

and  th 

limited 

tains 

groat! 

play  \ 

gardui 

ants  c 

vol 


TAHLE    MOUNTAIN'. 


37 


J 


to  shelter  one  person,  in  a  sitting  posture,  from  the  rays 
of  the  sun  and  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  The 
greatest  interior  space  does  not  exceed  five  feet,  from 
the  den  to  the  per[)endicular  precipice.  A  slave  brings 
him  his  daily  provisions  and  water  ;  and  this  is  the  only 
opportunity  the  recluse  has  for  conversntion  during  the 
day.  My  visit  was,  therefore,  considered  by  him  as  a 
kind  of  (Jod-sond,  for  which  he  appeared  to  be  very 
grateful,  and  which  he  begged  me  to  repeat. 

The  excursion  over  the  Table  Mountain,  which  is 
three  thousand  fivG  liundred  and  eighty-two  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  ocean,  was  an  undertaking  of  such  la- 
bor, as  to  require  the  greater  part  of  a  day  to  perform 
it.  It  was  advisable,  also,  on  many  considerations,  to 
make  tip  a  parly  for  the  purpose.  Accordingly,  having 
engaged  the  mate  of  the  Jefferson,  and  my  own  mate, 
to  accompany  me,  we  set  out  together  on  a  fine,  clear 
morning,  provided  with  refreshments,  but  without  a 
guide,  not  doubting,  with  the  information  given  us,  of 
being  able  to  find  our  way.  We  met  with  no  embar- 
rassment in  reaching  the  chasm,  on  one  side  of  which 
were  the  craggy  and  irregular  steps,  by  which  only 
we  could  work  oiu'  way  to  the  toj).  The  task  was  ar- 
duous, and  required  two  hou; «  of  great  exertion  for  its 
accomplishment.  The  day  i^ontinued  to  be  very  clear; 
and  the  view  atiiply  repaid  the  toil  of  the  ascent.  It  was 
limited  on  the  north  by  high,  irregular,  and  distant  moun- 
tains ;  on  the  south  and  cast  by  the  ocean,  and  an  horizon 
greatly  extended  ;  on  the  west  was  the  bay  with  its  ship- 
ping, diminished  to  the  size  of  such  toys  as  children 
play  with  ;  and  immediately  beneath  us  was  the  town,  its 
gardens  and  streets,  distinctly  seen,  though  its  inhabit- 
ants could  not  be   distinguished  with   the   unaided  eye. 

VOL.    I.  4 


88 


FiRPi  TCfiflica: 


A  large  pait  of  the  day  \va«  fiiiweii  in  rambling  about 
the  top  of  the  momitain,  and  iwiijpying  the  extensive 
and  beautiful  views  from  it  ;  anil  che  time  had  arrived 
to  think  of  descending.  ]  )-e«iii'ons  of  returning  by  a 
different  route,  1  attempted  '&  dnd  a  new  one  in  a 
chasm,  which,  from  the  imperfetn  vtievv  I  could  take  of 
it,  resembled  the  path  we  had  itHfwnded.  But,  the  bet- 
ter to  satisfy  myself,  with  crea:  (diilfijiMilty  and  imminent 
danger  of  falling,  I  {limbed  dw.wni  a  precipice  of  about 
twelve  feet,  and  found  myself  n^pioa  a  bridge  formed  by 
the  falling  away  of  the  rock  'Kiiniaiu  tlie  chasm,  and  ex- 
tending across  about  twenty  Jtit?L.  fits  width  varied  from 
two  to  four  feet  ;  and  it  seetueiL  where  narrowest,  as  if 
any  additional  weight  would  caiwi  it  to  give  way.  On 
either  side,  and  beneath  ibis  lioiiiitre,  was  an  abyss,  of 
which  1  could  scarce!}'  see  liiif  Bincrom  ;  it  being  fifteen 
hundred,  or,  perhaps,  two  tbcicsind  I'eet  deep.  I  now 
saw  plaiidy,  that  I  must  return  Uint  rhe  way  I  came  ;  as, 
at  the  other  end  of  the  bridge.,  niii*  height  was  the  same, 
and  the  rocks  jutted  over.  Q  luade  known  to  my  com- 
panions my  perilous  situatioiL.  imd  that  a  slip  in  climb- 
ing must  be  attended  wiih  (titrtain  destruction.  In 
order,  therefore,  to  help  mt-  isijpi  a^ain,  Mr.  Barnes  lay 
on  the  ground,  and  held  lii«  jjmiifiC  over  tlie  precipice, 
while  the  mate  of  tlie  .lefierf.&a  lield  Fiarnes  to  prevent 
liis  being  |)ulled  over.  Witii  aliift  management,  and  the 
scanty  support  I  could  fjud  ka  mj  feet,  I  succeeded  in 
gaining  the  summit,  and  in  -estanpin!;  t'rom  a  situation  so 
perilous,  that,  even  at  tbi*  idiiWr  E  do  not  recur  to  it 
without  shuddering.  Afieri,i.iif  D  attempted  no  more  to 
find  a  new  way,  but  descericl"';  i^  we  had  come  up ;  and, 
before  sunset,  arrived  at  w\  y.':z.n}SA  verv  much  fatiiriied. 


wel 
wli[ 
a  1 
real 
reil 


l'A.S.S,\GE  TO   RATA  VIA. 


39 


CHAP  T  E  R    I  \^ 


On 


Impatience  to  he  off.  —  Embark  for  Batavia.  —  Chased  l)y  a  Bng.  — 
Out.sail  lier.  —  Arrival  at  IJatavia.  —  Governor's  Surprise  at  our 
quick  Passage.  —  Hotel.  —  American  Couinierce.  —  Lllecl  of  the 
Climate  on  Eurojx'aiis.  —  Market.  —  The  U»y.  —  Sharks  and  Al- 
ligators —  No  Opportunity  to  freight  to  the  L'niled  States  —  Em- 
bark lor  China.  —  Arrival  at  Macao.  —  A  Typhon.  —  I,ose  an  An- 
ciior. — Arrive  at  Wampoa. —  At  Canton  — Emharrasyment  as 
to  ne.\t  Destination. —  .Arrival  and  I'uri'lia.'^c  of  an  P^ngli>h  Cutter. 
—  Associates  in  the  .Adventure.  —  Factories.  —  Recourse  of  15e(p- 
gars  to  compel  Alms.  —  Enter  the  City.  —  Hesult. 


as, 


More  than  four  nioiillis  liad  eliipiied  since  my  arrival 
at  the  Cape  ;  and,  dmiii  lat  period,  no  opportiniiiy 
had  ofl'ered  for  India.  My  Mn[iatience  to  ho  away  was 
now  so  great,  that  I  determined  lo  einhrace  any  chance 
that  |)resented  itself  for  going  to  the  tasi,  without  rcL'ard 
to  the  particular  place  ;  and,  on  the  first  of  August,  ilie 
brig  Betsey  having  touched  in  the  bay,  in  a  short  pas- 
sage from  I^alliinore,  bound  to  Batavia,  I  embaiked  in 
this  vessel,  taking  with  me  the  proceeds  of  iny  vessel 
and  cargo  in  »^panish  dollars.  1  was  accompanii'd  by 
my  black  man  (Jeorge,  for  whom  I  had  contract rd  ..i 
attachment,  which  was  evidently  reciprocal. 

The  day  after  leaving  the  Cape,  we  had  a  strong 
westerly  wind  and  a  considsrable  soa,  and,  at  noon, 
while  maknig  rapid  |)rogress  on  our  way,  we  discovered 
a  brig  standing  on  a  wind  across  us,  which  we  had 
reason  to  sujiposc  was  a  cruiser.  As  our  vessel  was  a 
rcinaikably  swift  sailer,  we  decided  not  to  submit  lo  the 


40 


FIIIST   VOYAGE. 


trouble  and  dctcnlioii  wliicli  a  visit  would  cause,  and 
therefore  kept  steadily  on  onr  coiu'se,  uliicli,  being  to- 
wards liini,  induced  tlie  belief,  that  we  intended  to 
speak  liini,  and  prevented  the  prcjjaration  he  would 
have  made,  had  he  known  our  intention.  When  just 
clear  of  gun  shot,  we  altered  our  course  two  [)oints  ;  on 
seeing  which  he  immediately  fired,  and  instantly  set 
about  getting  up  topgallant  masts  and  yards,  and  crowd- 
ing all  sail  after  us  ;  but  it  was  like  the  tortoise  in  pur- 
suit of  the  hare.  Before  daik  his  hull  was  not  to  be 
seen. 

We  had  a  continuance  of  the  strong  westerly  winds 
until  we  entered  the  trades,  south  of  the  island  of  Java  ; 
and  our  arrival  at  Batavia,  on  the  first  of  September,  in 
only  thirty  days  from  the  Cape,  was  a  circumstance  so 
extraordinary,  that  it  recpiired  the  confirmation  of  let- 
ters which  we  carried  to  convince  liie  (Jovernor  of  the 
fact. 

1  took  rooms  at  the  great  public  hotel  ;  and  here,  as 
well  as  in  other  buildings  in  the  city,  there  were  traces 
of  the  s[)lendor  which  had  attended  the  better  da)  ■;  of 
the  Dnicli  East  India  Company.  1  he  spacious  rooms 
were  painted  in  a  tawdry,  but  expensive  manner,  in  red 
and  geld,  or  bine  and  gold.  The  furniture  was  as  mas- 
sive and  cosily  as  it  could  be  made  ;  a  band  of  a  dozen 
slaves  always  played  during  dinner  ;  and  a  multitude 
of  servants,  shabbily  dressed,  were  in  attendance.  Ev- 
ery thing  about  the  establishment  indicated  an  attempt 
at  magnificence,  which  was  but  ill-supported  by  the 
present  state  of   Dutch  commerce. 

Most  of  the  strangers,  who  then  visited  IJatavia, 
were  Americans;  and  there  were  few,  or  none  of  ihem, 
whose  appetites  required  the  stimulus  of  a  band,  or  who 


an  I 
T' 

lie  I 


as 

out 

nat 

is  v 

cio 

froii 


BATAVIA. 


41 


had  sufllcient  taste  for  oriental  luxuries,  to  be  willing 
to  contribute  to  them  further  than  custom  rendered 
necessary. 

Batavia  is  built  on  a  flat,  which  extends  ten  or 
twelve  leagues.  Most  of  its  streets  have  canals  of 
stagnant  water,  which  are,  doubtless,  among  the  causes 
of  the  fevers  so  prevalent  there  ;  as  these  are  avoided 
by  taking  a  residence  five  or  six  miles  in  the  country. 
The  houses  generally  are  built  of  brick,  j)lastered  and 
whitewashed  ;  and  the  apartments  are  spacious  and 
well-adapted  to  the  climate,  liut,  notwithstanding  all 
their  luxuries,  most  of  the  residents  show,  by  their  j)al- 
lid  countenances  and  emaciated  figures,  that  they  are 
sacrificing  health  to  gain.  Yet  the  certainly  of  this 
does  not  prevent  adventurers  from  seeking  their  for- 
tunes there,  apparently  blinded  to  consequences  by  the 
eagerness  of  pursuit. 

The  Chinese  constitute  much  the  largest  and  most 
industrious  part  of  the  population.  They  inhabit  the 
suburbs,  and  arc  said  to  amount  to  seventy  or  eighty 
thousand.  The  domestics  are  principally  Malay  slaves, 
and  are  considered  much  less  docile  than  the  Africans. 
The  market  of  Batavia  is  well  supplied  with  all  the  de- 
licious fruits,  which  are  peculiar  to  the  tropical  cli- 
mates. Pine  apples,  in  particular,  are  very  abundant, 
and  so  cheap,  that  a  hundred  may  be  obtained  for  a 
dollar.  Animal  food,  beef  and  mutton  particularly,  is, 
as  in  most  tropical  countries,  generally  j)oor,  and  with- 
out flavor.  Fowls  are  very  abundant  and  cheap.  The 
natives  here,  as  in  India,  live  principally  on  rice,  which 
is  very  cheap  and  much  cultivated.  The  bay  is  spa- 
cious ;  and  the  ships  ride  with  safety  therein,  screened 
from  the  only  wind  which  could   injure  them  by  seven- 


42 


FIRST    VOVAOR. 


teen  or  eigliteen  very  pretty  islunils,  which  are  not  less 
ornamental  than  serviceable.  The  alligators  and  sharks 
are  very  nunierons  ;  anil  instances  are  related  of  boats 
being  upset  on  the  bar,  and  their  whole  crinvs  de- 
voured by  them.*  TlK)se,  whom  business  shall  lead 
to  lialavia,  for  there  can  be  no  other  inducement,  will 
remain  there  no  longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary. 

It  was  very  evident,  soon  after  my  arrival,  that  I 
need  only  be  detained  until  1  could  take  [)assage  for 
China  ;  for,  though  the  comparative  value  of  the  pro- 
duce of  the  island  here,  and  in  the  United  States,  of- 
fered a  profit  of  one  and  a  half  to  two  capitals,  yet  there 
was  no  one  of  the  several  vessels  lying  here  which  could 
take  freight  ;  all  having  suHicient  capital  to  lade  on  their 
own  account.  If  I  could  have  invested  the  amount  of 
my  property  in  a  freight  of  coflee,  for  the  United  States, 
I  should  have  made  a  very  short  and  lucrative  voyage. 
But  my  efibrts  proving  unsuccessful  to  efl'ect  this,  I 
took  advantage  of  an  opportunity,  which  was  oilcred  in 
the  ship  Swift  of  New  York,  for  Canton,  after  having 
spent  ten  days  at  Baiavia.  For  I  was  well  aware,  that 
though  I  might  not  be  able  to  ship  such  bulky  articles  as 
coflee  or  sugar,  there  was  no  doubt  of  my  finding  room 
enough  for  the  fabrics  of  China,  in  which  a  much  great- 
er capital  than  I  possessed  could  be  invested  so  as  to 
occupy  but  a  small  sj)ace. 

Having  removed  my  baggage  and  specie,  fiom  the 
Betsey  to  the  Swift,  we  sailed  next  morning,  the  12th 
of  September,  for  Canton,  in  company  with  two  of  the 
Danish   East  India  Company's  ships,  the  connnanders 


*  It  would  therefore  be  the  oxtreiiic  of  rashness  to  bntlie  in  llie  bay, 
tliough  tlie  heal  renders  tlie  desire  of  doing  so  very  strong. 


PASSAGE  TO   CHINA. 


43 


of  wliicli  agreed  to  keep  company  with  us  tliroiigli  ilie 
straits  of  Daica,  for  nuitiial  security  agains'  any  attack 
of  tlie  Malay  pirates.  Our  ships  sailed  so  nearly  alike, 
that  no  day  passed  when  we  were  not  within  s])eaking 
distance  ;  and  when  the  weather  was  fine,  and  the  sea 
smooth,  which  was  often  the  case,  we  exchanged  visits. 
The  commodore  had  a  band  on  board  ;  and  in  the 
bright  moonlight  evenings,  when  the  breeze  was  only 
suflicient  to  keep  the  sails  from  flapping  against  the 
masts,  and  the  ripple  of  the  ship's  passage  through  the 
water  scarcely  heard,  the  music  of  this  band  was  so  de- 
lightful, that  it  even  now  brings  back  the  most  j)leasing 
associations,  whenever  memory  retraces  the  incidents 
of  this  passage. 

We  were  compelled,  by  calms  and  the  darkness  of 
the  night,  to  anchor  two  or  tliree  times  in  the  straits  of 
Barca,  but  met  with  no  embarrassment  from  pirates, 
or  from  rocks  and  shoals.  It  was,  however,  a|)par- 
ent,  that,  although  we  had  taken  care  to  keep  well  to 
the  eastward,  we  only  secured  our  passage  ;  having 
taken  the  northeast  wind  so  many  days  before  our  ar- 
rival, that  w'e  with  dilliculty  gained  the  anchorage  in 
Macao  roads.  The  three  ships  arrived  at  this  place 
within  a  few  hours  of  each  other,  after  a  i)assiige  of 
thirty-one  days  from  Batavia. 

The  Danish  ships,  having  agents  at  Macao,  procured 
pilots,  and  proceeded  to  Wampoa  without  delay  ;  but 
we  were  not  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  a  |)ilot,  and  were 
obliged,  in  consequence,  to  wail  a  week  in  the  roads. 
During  this  period,  we  encountered  a  typhon,  which 
blew  with  such  violence,  and  caused  such  a  sea,  that, 
although  our  yards  and  topmasts  were  struck,  we  j)art- 
ed  a  cable,  lost  an  anchor,  and  were  in  danger  of  being 


44 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


driven  out  to  sea  ;  but,  uAcr  diifting  several  miles, 
filially  brought  up  with  the  other  anchor.  After  the 
weather  became  again  settled,  it  was  judiciously  de- 
termined by  the  captain  to  remain  no  longer  in  so  ex- 
posed a  situation  ;  and,  having  procured  a  (i-sherman  to 
pilot  us  as  far  as  Anson's  Bay,  which  is  a  safe  anchor- 
age at  the  entrance  of  the  river  Tigris,  we  arrived  and 
anchored  there,  without  further  embarrassment. 

Here,  Captain  White  received  a  letter  from  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Ontario,  a  shi[)  belonging  to  the  same  own- 
ers, informing  hinj  of  his  safe  arrival  at  Wampoa,  and 
the  exertions  he  was  making  to  send  him  a  })ilot.  lie 
mentioned,  that  he  was  in  want  of  a  first  and  second 
ofiicer.  This  circumstance  aj)peared  to  ofler  a  favor- 
able opening  for  me  ;  inasmuch  as,  if  1  could  obtain 
the  chief  mate's  office,  the  privilege  attached  to  it 
would  insure  the  transport  of  all  my  property.  I 
therefore  settled  it  in  my  mind,  that  this  was  my  desti- 
nation. Having  waited  three  days  more,  and  no  pilot 
appearing,  Captain  White  determined  to  go  up  to 
Wampoa  in  his  own  boat  ;  and  I  accompanied  him. 
Soon  after  leaving  the  ship  we  were  overtaken  by 
a  heavy  shower,  which  wet  us  com;)letely  through. 
AVhen  above  second  bar,  towards  evening,  the  tide  set 
so  strong  against  us,  that,  perceiving  we  made  no  head- 
way, we  determined  to  go  on  board  a  large  Swedish 
shij),  then  lying  at  the  bar,  and  there  wait  the  return 
of  the  flood.  We  were  received  with  great  hospitality, 
and,  during  our  visit,  were  treated  with  as  much  kind- 
ness as  if  we  had  been  conferring,  rather  than  receiving 
a  benefit.  We  remained  with  these  friendly  people 
until  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when,  the  tide  having 
turned,  we  took  leave,  and  pursued  our  course  towards 


I 

C( 


w 


VVAMI'OA. 


45 


Wanipna,  but,  unfortunately,  by  mistaking  our  course, 
and  getting  into  a  wrong  brancli  of  the  river,  were  out 
all  night,  and  did  not  arrive  on  board  the  Ontario, 
before  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning.  A  good  break- 
fast renewed  our  energies  for  pursuing  our  course  to 
Canton,  where  I  was  the  more  anxious  to  arrive,  from 
the  fear,  tliat  the  office  I  sought  might  be  filled  by 
another  before  my  arrival.  We  started,  therefore,  as 
soon  as  the  flood  tide  came  in.  Arriving  at  the  On- 
tario's factory,  1  had  the  mortification  to  learn  from 
the  commander,  that  he  had  engaged  an  ofiicer  only 
the  day  previous.  Thus,  this  resource  failed  me.  As 
I  had  confidently  counted  upon  it,  and  as  fancy  had 
been  busy  in  anticipating  a  meeting  with  my  friends  at 
home  under  such  favorable  circumstances,  my  disap- 
pointment was  very  great. 

The  next  plan  was  to  freight  my  property  in  son)e 
one  of  the  American  ships  ;  a  thing,  usually,  of  very 
easy  accomplishment  ;  but,  at  this  time,  it  was  not 
practicable  at  such  a  rate  as  I  felt  myself  warranted  in 
paying.  It  then  occurred  to  me,  that  I  might  obtain  a 
small  premium  on  my  money  to  Calcutta,  and  that  there 
I  should  be  able  to  lay  in  an  iiivoslment  for  the  United 
Stales,  and  freight  it  from  thence  on  better  terms  than 
I  could  make  here.  With  this  impression  I  was  about 
contracting  with  the  cajjtain  of  the  coimtry  ship  Zoroas- 
ter, to  let  him  have  my  money  on  respondentia,  and  to 
embark  with  him  for  Calcutta.  Hut  before  definitely 
closing  this  negotiation,  a  little  Knglish  cutter  arrived 
at  Wampoa  from  the  Northwest  Coast  of  America,  and 
was  oflcred  for  sale.  This  sua;gested  to  me  an  enter- 
prise  whicli  would  be  attended  with  great  difiiculties  and 
dangers,  but  which  oiiercd  a  prospect  of  fortune  in  pro- 


46 


FIRST  VOVAGE. 


M 


portion.     As  my  means  alone  were  not  sufficient  to  bny 

this  vessel  and  to   put   in   a  cargo  .suitable  for  a  voyage 

to  the  Northwest  Coast,  I  engaged    the    assistance   of 

Messrs.  D.  Green  and  E.  Townsend,  of  New  Haven, 

and  purchased   this  cutter,  of  about  fifty  tons  burden  ; 

two   thirds   for   my  account  and   one   third    for  theirs  ; 

having   abandoned  my  Calcutta  plan.      She  was  called  J 

the  Dragon  ;  but  as  my  papers   were  for  the  Caroline, 

I  changed  her  name  accordingly.     From  the  reimiants 

of  the   cargo  of  a  Boston   vessel,   returned   from   the 

Northwest  Coast,  and  such  articles  as  I  could  procure 

from  the  shops  at  Canton,  I  made   up   a  very  suitable 

investment  to  the  amount  of  nine  thousand  dollars. 

By  the  time  I  was  ready  to  sail  on  this  enterprise, 
nearly  three  months  bad  elapsed  since  my  arrival  at 
Canton  ;  during  which  period  my  ex[)enses  had  been 
moderate,  from  having  the  good  fortune  of  associating 
myself  with  the  inmates  of  the  Elizabeth's  ftictory.  The 
factories  are  handsome  houses,  built  in  the  Eiu'opean 
style,  on  the  margin  of  (he  river,  for  the  acconmioda- 
tion  of  those  who  have  business  to  transact  at  Canton. 
They  are  generally  of  two  stories  ;  the  lower  being 
used  as  warehouses.  They  are  wliitewashed,  and,  with 
their  respective  national  flags  disj)layed  on  a  high  start' 
before  them,  make  a  very  pretty  appearance.  In  for- 
mer times  the  shijis  came  and  returned  with  the  regu-  |j 
larity  of  the  monsoons  ;  and  the  resident  supercargoes, 
during  their  absence,  were  not  permitted  to  remain  at 
Canton,  but  removed  to  the  Portuguese  town  of  Macao. 
This  routine  has,  of  late  years,  been  broken  up  by  the 
disregard  of  eticpiette  and  the  established  seasons,  on 
the  i)art  of  the  Americans,  who,  coming  and   going   all 


j 


CANTON. 


47 


i)eing 


I 


the  year  round,  have  inverted  all   the  ancient  rules  of 
doing  business  at  Cri'iton. 

In  the  rear  of  the  factories,  and  spreading  out  on 
either  side,  are  the  houses  and  shops  of  those  merchants 
and  niociianics,  who  derive  ihcir  support  from  trading 
with  foreigners  ;  a  dense  and  active  population,  who 
evince  a  shrewdness  in  their  dealings,  not  surjjassed  by 
those  strangers  who  traflic  with  them,  and  who  arc 
too  a|)t  to  treat  them  with  contempt.  The  police  of 
this  portion  of  the  conmiunily  is  so  lax,  that  petty 
thefts  are  very  common,  and  rarely  punished.  An  ad- 
ditional evidence  of  this  laxity  is  also  manifested  in  the 
occasional  practice  of  beggars,  who  extort  alms  from 
the  shopkeepers,  by  covering  themselves  with  a  coat 
of  the  most  fdthy  odor,  and  thus  rendering  themselves 
so  disgusting,  that  the  shopkeepers,  to  prevent  their 
coming  in,  stand  ready  at  the  door  with  the  contribu- 
tion. Great  numbers  of  the  poor  population  are  born, 
reared,  and  die  in  small  boats  of  twelve  to  fifteen 
feet  long,  which  have  a  bamboo  covering  to  screen 
them  from  the  sun  and  from  the  inclemency  of  the 
weather  ;  and  in  no  other  part  of  the  world,  perhaps, 
is  it  so  clearly  deinonstrated,  in  how  little  space,  and 
on  what  slender  means,  man  may  subsist. 

The  Chinese  are  decided  idolaters,  and  have  an  an- 
nual show  and  procession  for  propitiating  an  evil  de- 
mon. They  have  numerous  houses  of  worship,  in 
which  are  kept  images  of  gods,  which  resemble,  in 
some  respects,  those  of  the  most  barbarous  nations  of 
Indians.  At  one  of  these  houses,  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river,  were  several  of  the  priesthood,  whose 
dress  bore  some  resemblance  to  that  of  Franciscan 
friars,  and  whose  business  was  principally  to  take  care 


48 


FrRST   VOVAGE. 


of  the  sacred  hogs.  These  were  about  twcniy  in  num- 
ber, and  were  in  an  inclosure.  They  are  never  killed, 
but  are  left  to  die  in  the  regular  course  of  time  ;  and 
several  of  thrrn  were  so  unwieldy,  that  it  was  not  with- 
out great  dihiculty  they  could  move  ihen)selve.s  a  few 
feet  one  way  or  the  other. 

The  pertinacity,  with  which  the  Chinese  adhere  to  the 
ancient  j)ractice  of  interdicting  to  strangers  the  entrance 
to  their  city,  is  still  undiminished.  Having,  in  one 
of  my  excursions,  come  near  to  the  gale,  and  observing 
no  one  on  duty  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  strangers,  1 
walked  in,  and  had  proceeded  a  distance  of  about  thirty 
feet,  when  a  hue  and  cry  was  made  ;  and  a  dozen 
people  came  running  up  to  me,  and,  with  earnest  lot-Ls 
and  violent  gestures,  pointed  to  the  gate,  and  indicated, 
by  signs  that  could  not  be  mistaken,  that  I  must  return. 
I  did  not  hesitate  to  comply  with  wishes  so  clearly 
manifested,  and  where  the  power  of  enforcing  them  was 
so  apparent.  Within  the  wall  I  saw  nothing  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  streets  and  houses,  difiering  from  those 
without  ;  and  I  am  induced  to  believe,  that  the  rigor,  in 
forbidding  access  to  foreigners,  arises  from  the  obser- 
vance of  the  customary  Asiatic  jealousy  with  regard  to 
the  women.  Of  the  character,  manners,  customs,  and 
habits  of  the  Chinese,  so  much  better  accounts  are  given 
by  those  who  have  had  greater  opportunities  of  ob- 
serving, that  I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  tlicin. 


frof 


UIFFlCL'1/rV   OF  OUTAIM.NG   MEN, 


49 


I 


CHAPTER    V. 

Jnfornialion  from  Boston.  —  Difllculty  of  obtaining  Men.  —  Xorthenst 
Monsoon.  —  A  Clioice  of  Difticulties. —  Sail  from  Anson's  Bay. 
—  Aiiclioring  when  the  Tides  weie  against  us.  —  Narrow  Kseapp.  — 
Rocks  and  iShoals.  —  Struck  and  Htojjped  on  a  sunken  I.edjje. — 
Came  off  as  the  Tide  rose.  —  Anclior,  and  jjrocure  Water  and 
Wood.— Curiosity  of  tiie  I'eople. —  .Stormy  Weather.  — I'nss  ihrouirh 
a  Breaker  unhurt.  —  Keep  ("omi)any  with  a  Ciiinesc  IMeet.  —  Tiiey 
enter  Amoy.  —  Anchoroutside.  —  Dangerous  Navigation.  —  Island 
of  Kemoy.  —  Mutiny.  —  Means  of  subduing  it. —  Leave  si.x  Men 
beiiind.  —  Visit  from  a  Ciiinese.—  Weather  the  Nortli  End  af  For- 
mosa.— Heavy  tiales  across  th^;    'acific.  —  Discontent  of  the  Crew. 


By  a  recent  arrival  from  Boston,  I  learned  tliat  sev- 
eral vessels  were  fitting  front  tiience  for  the  Northwest 
Coast ;  and  as  kny  success  depended  mainly  on  arriving 
there  before  them,  I  spared  no  exertion  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  pmpose.  Btit  for  this  information, 
it  had  been  my  intention  to  wait  imtil  the  strength  of  the 
monsoon  had  din;inisheil.  To  procure  a  comjietcnt 
ninnber  of  men  was  a  task  of  such  difTiculty,  that,  when 
any  one  oflered  his  services,  I  was  not  very  particular 
in  inquiring  whence  he  came,  or  how  well  he  was  quali- 
fied ;  it  was  sufficient  for  my  purpose  if  he  was  a  white 
man,  and  presented  an  appearance  of  health  and 
strength  ;  for  it  was  indispensable  to  our  safety  with  the 
Indians,  that  our  crew  shoidd  be  composed  ot"  Euro- 
peans or  Americans.  Most  of  my  men  were  deserters 
from  Indiamen  ;  and  these  were  generally  the  worst  of 
a  bad  crew.     With  such  as  I  could  procure,  however, 

VOL.    I.  6 


50 


FIRST    VOYAGE. 


I  at  length  completed  my  complement,  sixteen  men 
before  the  mast,  fourteen  of  whom  were  English  and 
Irish,  and  two  Americans.  In  the  cabin  we  were  five 
in  number,  including  George,  who  acted  as  steward, 
and  the  linguist  ;  making  together  twenty-one.  The 
vessel  was  remarkably  strong  and  well  built  ;  well  cop- 
pered ;  mounted  ten  brass  four-|)Ound  cannon  ;  with  a 
proper  number  of  muskets,  i)istoIs,  j)ikes,  &c. 

At  this  season  of  the  year,  the  northeast  monsoon 
was  blowing  with  its  greatest  force,  and  the  current  was 
strong  in  proportion.  No  track  could  be  pointed  out, 
therefore,  by  wnich  wo  could  arrive  at  such  a  norilicrn 
latitude  as  to  be  free  from  the  influence  of  the  trade 
wind,  which  was  not  fr.'^uglit  with  difliculiies  and  dan- 
:5ers.  The  most  di'ect  course  was  to  pass  between  the 
southern  end  of  Formosa  and  the  northern  point  of  Lu- 
zon, by  the  Bashee  Islands.  But  here,  the  eflect  of 
such  a  sea,  as  would  be  met,  upon  so  short  a  vessel, 
combined  with  a  strong  lee  current,  presented  obstacles 
suHlcient  to  discourage  the  attempt.  To  follow  the 
track  of  Captain  M cares,  at  the  same  season  of  the 
year,  in  1788,  by  going  south,  and  endeavouring  to  get 
our  easting  on  the  equator,  would  doubtless  be  the 
easiest  method  ;  but  would  unavoidably  take  up  so 
much  time  as  to  defeat  my  object.  The  course  which 
appeared  to  me  to  offer  tiie  best  prospect  of  success, 
though  attended  with  more  danger  than  cither  of  the 
others,  was  to  beat  up  along  the  shore  of  the  coast  of 
China.  For  I  was  persuaded  that  tiiJ  small  size  of  my 
vessel  would  enable  me  to  keej)  so  near  the  shore,  as 
sometimes  to  have  a  favorable  current  ;  to  be  pro- 
tected, occasionally,  by  a  j)rojccting  point,  from  the 
roughness  of  the  sea  ;  and  to  come  to  aiichor  when  it 


I 


SAIL  FROM   AXSONS   RAY. 


51 


? 


appeared  tliat  we  were  losing  groimd.  The  attempt,  I 
was  aware,  was  an  arduous  and  a  hazardous  one  ;  and  of 
its  inipracticahilily  T  was  assured,  hy  some  of  the  most 
experienced  navigators  in  tliose  seas.  But  I  considered 
that  a  faiUire,  hy  arriving  too  late  on  the  coast,  would  he 
equally  tlisastrous  with  any  tnisfortune  that  could  arise 
from  making  the  attempt.  I  was  also  the  more  encour- 
aged to  make  the  trial,  as  I  could  not  learn  that  it  had 
ever  heen  attempted  at  tlie  same  season  of  the  year  ; 
consequently,  that  my  advisers  were  not  warranted  in 
declaring  so  confidently  that  it  was  impractirahle. 

With  such  impressions,  with  my  vessel  well  equip- 
ped, and  with  a  ocw,  whose  appearance  made  it  difii- 
cult  to  helieve  that  most  of  them  had  not  been  familiar 
with  crime,  I  sailed  from  Anson's  Bay  on  the  10th  of 
January,  1799,  in  the  morning.  Having  a  strong  breeze, 
we  passed  INracao  Roads  at  four  P.  M.,  at  a  long  dis- 
tance from  the  shipping,  fearing  we  might  he  brought 
to,  and  our  men  taken  out.  During  the  night,  we 
passed  between  the  Lema  Islands  and  very  near  to 
one  of  them  ;  which  I  ventured  to  do,  from  the  local 
knowledge  possessed  by  the  chief  mate.  'J'he  incon- 
venience, arising  from  the  want  of  a  chart  of  the  coast 
and  Islands,  was  immediately  exj)erienced.  The  small 
and  imperfect  one  I  possessed  was  not  of  the  least  use, 
and  hence  our  utmost  vigilance  was  constantly  rc{]uired. 
I'  the  morning  and  forenoon  of  the  11th,  wc  made 
several  tacks  oiY  and  on  ;  l)ut  the  current  was  so  strong 
against  us,  that  notwithstanding  wc  had  a  fr':sh  breeze 
and  smooth  sea,  we  gained  nothing  to  windward  ;  and 
as  we  had  not  l)(>en  able  to  complete  our  watering  and 
wooding  at  Anson's  Bay,  ue  went  in  r.id  anchored  near 
a  small  fishing  town  for  this  pur[)03e. 


52 


FIRgT   VCJTftOE. 


Here,  we  were  soon  visited  W  as  ireat  a  number  of 
the  inhabitants  as  boats  could  ILe  found  to  convey. 
Both  old  and  young,  of  either  hf^  came  off  to  see  the 
Fanqiiis,  as  they  called  us.  Aitjioug  them,  was  one 
wlio  s[)olve  the  Portuguese  laiLnmiiii  ;  and  who,  for  a 
inoderale  compensation,  procuitid  lliar  us  the  supply  we 
required.  In  the  mean  tiu)e,  tbt  rmmbers  had  greatly 
increased,  and  evinced  a  stratir  diesire  to  come  on 
board.  As  it  would  have  been  t^'^  imprudent  to  permit 
this,  I  found  myself  obliged  lo  Katnca  men  in  dillbrent 
parts  of  the  vessel,  with  boanim^  pikes,  to  keep 
them  off. 

In  the  afternoon,  the  current  U[p^earing  to  have  di- 
minished, we  weighed  anchor-  audi  perceived,  towards 
evening,  that  we  had  gained  continiitrably  ;  but,  as  there 
were  appearances  of  Lad  wealbta-  ;ia«l  we  were  abreast 
a  deep  bay  which  promised  a  ai&lzAVy  we  ran  in  and 
came  to  anchor  ;  and  thus  es(-Hjiti(2  die  fatigue  and  dan- 
ger of  a  stormy  night  at  sea.  Fn'im.  eight  o'clock  in 
the  morning  until  late  in  the  afttuuitii-)!-.  of  the  I2ih,  our 
efforts  to  gain  to  wiiidw;  rd  wf.nt  iiietfectual  ;  indeed, 
such  was  tlic  force  of  the  .ourjtiutLr  that  we  could 
not  reach  the  i)lace  we  had  ittii  ihi  die  morning  ;  and 
the  succeeding  night,  it  being  cuinv  we  were  obliged  to 
lie  at  anchor  outside.  The  uexa  tiajj  (13th,)  having 
but  a  light  breeze,  we  used  our  FWitrt^ja  ;  by  the  aid  of 
which,  and  keeping  close  in  sbort-  we  advanced  ;i  little. 
In  beating  through  a  nariow  siruii-  iSormed  by  a  jioint  of 
the  coast  and  a  rocky  isliuid,  .ucunst  which  I  he  sea 
broke  with  great  fury,  and  at  niiii  critical  moment, 
when  passing  not  more  than  Qfimoj  jard.s  to  vvirniward, 
the  peak  halyards  slipped  fioiu  aii*  pin  to  whic  h  they 
were  belayed,  and  the  ])eak  of  ih*  mainsail  ran  tlowii. 


As 


fron 


NARROW   ESCAPE. 


53 


As  all  hands  were  on  deck,  it  was  instantly  hoisted 
again  ;  but  such  was  the  force  of  the  swell,  the  wind 
being  light,  that  before  we  had  got  by  we  weie  thrown 
so  near  the  rock  as  to  reach  it  witli  an  oar.  After  this 
escape  we  stood  ont  to  sea,  witii  the  wind  from  cast- 
northeast,  blowing  in  the  night  very  strong,  which 
caused  a  considerable  increase  of  sea.  This  obhged 
us  to  carry  a  press  of  sail,  and  presently  our  jib  s|)lit  ; 
we  then  reefed  the  mainsail,  set  a  second-sized  jib,  and 
a  little  after  midnight  tacked  in  shore. 

At  daylight  of  the  I4li),  we  were  not  a  little  elated 
to  find  ourselves  considerabl\  to  windward  of  the  place 
we  left  the  last  evening,  notwitiislanding  a  roiigii  sea. 
We  continued  all  day  successfully  plying  to  windward, 
and  in  the  evening,  it  being  calm,  we  anchored  in  fifteen 
fathoms.  All  day  of  the  15ih,  we  had  light  airs  and 
calms  by  turns  ;  so  that  when  we  could  gain  nothing  by 
the  help  of  our  sweeps,  we  anchored  ;  and  when  the 
breeze  came,  weighetl  again  ;  by  these  means  we  ad- 
vanced, though  very  slowly  and  witli  much  labor. 

In  the  forenoon  of  the  IGth,  the  weather  being  calm, 
we  rowed  in  shore  and  anchored  mider  the  lee  of  an  is- 
land, and  near  a  very  extensive,  sandy  beach,  not  far 
from  a  fishing  town.  'J'he  inhabitants  soon  came  off  to 
us,  and  I  engaged  one  of  them  to  take  our  empty  water- 
casks  ashore  and  fdl  them  ;  and  to  bring  us  a  supply  of 
oranges.  Of  others,  I  purchased,  at  a  moderate  jirice, 
some  very  good  fish.  'I'hese  people  were  better 
dressed  and  were  more  civil  than  those  who  visited  us 
on  the  1 1th;  and,  wnen  wc  were  leaving  them,  request- 
ed a  pa|ier,  describing  the  vessel  and  our  destination. 

On  the  17th  it  was  a[)p<.;'Mit,  that  we  had  arrived  at  a 
shoaler  and  consequently  more  dangerous  part  of  the 


5* 


54 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


coast  than  we  had,  hitherto,  been  navigating ;  and  could 
nut,  therefore,  without  great  risii,  work  along  siiore 
at  night,  as  we  had  done.  The  wind  was  vei y  light 
during  the  day  ;  but  towards  evening,  IVeshened  so 
much  as  to  make  it  necessary  lo  reef  the  sails.  We 
stood  ofi'  shore  until  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
ISlli,  and  then  tacked  towards  the  land;  in  expectation, 
that,  as  we  had  carried  as  much  sail  all  night  as  the  ves- 
sel would  bear,  we  should  gain  very  considerably  to 
windward  ;  but,  at  dayligiit,  had  the  disa])|)ointn)ent  to 
find  ourselves  at  least  iliree  leagues  to  leeward  of  the 
land  we  left  the  preceding  evening.  To  lose  so  much, 
in  so  short  a  time,  was  very  discouraging  ;  for,  with  our 
greatest  exertions,  we  coidd  hardly  hope  to  regain  it  in 
twenty-four  hours.  This  also  convinced  me,  that  we 
could  do  nothing  by  keeping  far  from  the  shore.  In 
the  evening,  as  well  as  throughout  the  succeeding  night, 
a  breeze  from  the  land  favored  us  very  much  ;  and,  by 
keeping  close  in,  we  gained  even  more  than  our  pre- 
ceding day's  loss. 

On  the  morning  of  the  lOtli,  we  had  a  pleasant  breeze 
from  east-northeast,  making  short  tacks  near  the  shore  ; 
and  soon  after  eight,  A.  M.,  we  doubled  a  point,  which 
opened  to  our  view  a  large  sandy  bay,  and  in  which 
there  appeared  to  be  many  dangerous  rocks  and  break- 
ers. Keeping  our  lead  constantly  going,  we  had  very 
irregular  soundings,  from  five  to  two  and  a  half  fatlioms  ; 
when,  suddenly,  as  we  were  sailing  at  the  rale  of  about 
three  knots,  we  ran  upon  a  sunken  ledge.  As  tlie  ves- 
sel hung  only  forward,  we  lowered  the  sails  and  hoisted 
out  the  boat,  with  a  view  to  carry  out  an  anchor  astern  ; 
but,  unfortunately,  in  putting  the  anchor  into  the  boat, 
the  bill  of  it  struck  with  such  force  against  one  of  the 


ANCHOR,  AND  I'ROCUIIE  WATER  AND  WOOD. 


55 


planks  in  the  boUoni  as  to  render  lier  useless  until  she 
was  repaired.  This  was  a  discouraging  circumstance, 
as  the  vessel  lay  very  uneasy  ;  but  there  was  no  other 
resource  than  to  hoist  the  boat  again  on  deck,  and  stop 
the  leak  in  the  most  expeditious  way  possible.  While 
we  were  thus  engaged,  the  tide  rose  so  much,  that  the 
vessel  slid  oil"  the  rock,  unaided  by  any  ellbrts  of  ours  ; 
and  ap|)arently  without  having  received  any  injury. 
Our  latitude  was  22^,  35'  north. 

Having  secured  our  boat  and  anchor,  and  again 
made  sail,  we  stood  off  to  sea,  so  far  as  to  enable  us  to 
weather  this  shoal  on  the  opposite  tack.  Towards 
evening,  perceiving  the  current  to  be  strong  against  us, 
we  came  to  anchor  and  lay  all  night.  We  now  were 
encouraged  by  the  discovery,  that  we  had  regular  tides 
setting  north  and  south  ;  and  as  soon  as  it  began  to  set 
in  our  favor,  on  the  20th,  we  weighed  anchor  and  be- 
gan beating.  But,  having  a  short,  irregular  sea  to  con- 
tend with,  we  made  but  little  progress  duiing  the  day  ; 
and  so  entirely  did  the  coast  appear  to  be  strewed  with 
rocks  and  shoals,  that  it  could  not  be  apj)roaclicd  in  the 
night,  without  the  most  imminent  danger  of  losing  our 
vessel  ;  hence  the  necessity  of  finding  an  anchorage  for 
the  night,  before  the  day  closed.  We  succeeded  in 
doing  this,  by  running  in  where  there  was  a  number 
of  jiniks  at  anchor  ;  and  near  a  considerable  settlement, 
before  which  apjjcared  to  be  a  fort. 

As  soon  as  we  had  anchored,  a  number  of  visi  """s 
came  off  to  us  ;  but,  as  no  one  of  them  knew  any  of 
the  European  languages,  our  communications  were  con- 
fined to  signs  ;  by  means  of  which  I  succeeded  in  re- 
plenishing our  stock  of  wood  and  water.  While  the 
Chinaman  was  engaged  in  filling  our  water-casks,  Mr. 


56 


FIRST   VOV Ar,E. 


Smith,  llie  chief  mate,  made  an  excursion  on  sliore. 
As  soon  as  he  landed,  a  person,  who  seemed  to  possess 
some  authority,  came  up  to  him,  and  made  signs  that 
he  shouhl  follow  him  to  llie  fort.  He  was  there  intro- 
duced to  a  Mandarin,  who  was,  doubtless,  the  com- 
mandant, and  who,  being  made  to  comprehend  the  ob- 
ject of  our  visit,  manifested  a  desire  to  gratify  it  ;  and 
behaved  witii  great  civility.  It  appeared  as  if  these  peo- 
ple had  never  before  seen  an  European,  or  American. 
They  followed  him  in  crowds  to  the  fort,  and  back 
again  to  the  landing-place.  All  labor,  for  the  time, 
was  abandoned  ;  and  even  the  actors,  who  were  then 
engaged  on  a  public  stage,  suspended  their  sing  song^ 
while  the  "  fanqui  "  was  passing. 

The  following  morning  (21st)  we  sailed  again,  ac- 
companied by  a  niuiiber  of  the  junks,  also  bound  to 
windward  ;  and  from  this  time  until  the  24th,  we  had 
no  other  wind  than  the  regular  monsoon  ;  sometimes 
blowing  very  strong,  so  that  we  could  gain  nothing  by 
beating  ;  we  then  generally  sought  a  smooth  place  in 
which  to  anchor ;  and  even  when  the  wind  was  moder- 
ate, we  were  always  obliged  to  anchor  while  the  tide 
was  setting  against  us.  We  passed  every  day  vast 
fleets  of  fishing  boats  ;  and  were  in  sight  of  several 
towns,  some  of  which  appeared  to  be  of  considerable 
size. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th,  I  was  equally  surprised 
and  delighted  with  a  breeze  springing  up  from  the  south- 
west, which,  increasing  at  noon,  continued  throughout 
the  day,  and  afforded  such  an  enlivening  prospect,  that 
1  began  to  flatter  myself  with  the  belief,  that  we  had 
seen  the  worst  of  our  passage.  But  I  was  not  long 
permitted   to  indulge   so  pleasing  a  hope  ;    as,  before 


I 


PASS   TIIUOUOU   A   liKEAKER   UMICRT. 


57 


eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  wind  shifted  sudden- 
ly, in  a  squall,  to  its  old  quarter,  the  northeast,  and  blew 
with  great  violence. 

On  the  25th,  we  gained  considerably  in  the  forenoon; 
but  towards  evening  the  wind  increased  so  as  to  bring 
us  under  double-reefed  sails.  The  night  was  rainy 
and  dark,  with  a  rough  sea,  into  which  we  were  plung- 
ing, without  reaping  any  advantage  ;  as,  in  the  morning, 
our  position  diflered  little  or  none  from  what  it  was  the 
preceding  evening.  On  the  evening  of  the  2Gih,  pre- 
ferring the  chance  of  anchoring  where  we  were  not  well 
sheltered,  to  passing  such  a  night  as  the  last,  we  came 
to  anchor  under  the  lee  of  a  rock,  soon  after  sunset  ; 
where  we  rode  very  securely  until  between  ten  and 
eleven  o'clock,  when,  the  wind  having  increased  very 
mucii,  we  struck  adrift.  All  hands  were  calk-d  imme- 
diately ;  we  hove  up  the  anchor,  and,  under  double- 
reefed  sails,  stood  out  to  sea,  until  four  A.  M.,  when 
we  tacked  in  shore  ;  the  wind  and  sea  having  so  in- 
creased as  to  keep  us  buried  most  of  the  time,  even  un- 
der our  storm-sails.  Approaching  the  coast,  and  when 
within  about  three  leagues  of  it,  we  suddenly  perceived 
a  breaker  ;  but,  as  the  vessel  was  going  at  a  rapid  rate, 
we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  ioam  almost  at  the  moment 
of  this  discovery.  The  vessel  struck  once,  in  the  hol- 
low of  the  sea,  and  was  enveloped  in  the  succeeding 
billow,  but  passed  over  without  receiving  any  injury  ; 
her  deck,  at  the  same  time,  was  covered  with  sand. 

It  had  now  become  essential  that  we  should  (ind  a 
harbour  ;  as  we  could  do  no  more  than  drift  to  leeward 
by  remaining  out.  But  to  seek  one,  in  a  gale  of  wind, 
without  a  chart,  and  on  a  coast  to  which  we  were  all 
strangers,  was  attended  with  great  hazard.     When  we 


53 


FIllST   VOVAGE. 


had  run  about  four  leagues  to  leeward,  the  man  at 
mast-head  perceived  a  deep,  sandy  bay  ;  the  access  to 
which  ap|)eared  to  be  free  from  danger  ;  and  the  sea 
was  now  so  higli,  that  any  shoal  which  could  take  us 
up,  would  show  itself.  We  therefore  ran  boldly  in, 
and  doubhng  round  a  projecting  point  of  sand,  came  to 
anchor  near  a  fleet  of  juid<s  ;  which  we  found  were 
bound  north,  and  had,  like  ourselves,  put  in  to  evade 
the  storm.  The  gale  continued  throughout  this  and  the 
following  day,  accompanied  with  frequent  and  heavy' 
squalls  of  rain  ;  and  the  weather  as  cold  as  it  is  com- 
monly in  Boston,  in  the  month  of  December.  After 
our  recent  fatigue  and  anxiety,  the  relaxation  and  com- 
fort, aflbrded  by  lying  two  days  and  a  night  in  so 
smooth  a  harbour,  while  {he  storm  was  howling,  and 
the  sea  roaring  without,  was  almost  beyond  the  power 
of  description. 

In  the  evening  of  the  28th,  there  was  evidently  a 
considerable  abatement  of  the  gale  ;  and  by  midnight 
the  weather  was  serene  and  pleasant.  Before  dawn  on 
the  29ih,  we  perceived  a  muster  on  board  the  junks, 
for  getting  under  way  ;  and,  following  their  example,  we 
also  weighed  anchor,  and  went  out  in  company  with 
thirty-two  sail  ;  with  which  we  plied  to  windward  till 
one  P.  M.,  when,  the  tide  making  against  us,  we  all 
came  to  anchor  in  three  and  a  half  fathoms,  opposite  a 
small  fishing  town. 

We  perceived,  during  this  day,  that  when  working 
up  in  smooth  water,  sometimes  caused  by  a  projecting 
point,  our  vessel  was  decidedly  superior  to  the  junks 
in  sailing  ;  but  that  when  we  got  out  where  the  sea  was 
rough,  they  had  as  much  the  advantage  of  us  ;  indeed, 
I  was   astonished   to   perceive  how   fast    such   square, 


Tllli   ISLAND  OF   KK.MOY. 


59 


uncouth,  ill-sliaped  craft,  with  bamboo  sails,  would 
work  to  windward  in  a  sea,  which  almost  buried  my 
cutter. 

At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  we  perceived  the 
junks  to  be  getting  under  way;  and  concluded  we  could 
not  do  belter  than  to  keep  coni|)any  with  them,  which 
we  did  throughout  the  night  ;  and,  in  the  morning  of  the 
SOth,  found  we  had  gained  very  considerably.  Be- 
tween four  and  five  A.  M.,  the  tide  set  against  us  so 
strongly,  that  we  barely  maintained  our  position  ;  and 
while  a  part  of  the  fleet  went  in  shore  and  anchored, 
a  part  remained  under  sail.  At  ten  o'clock,  we  had 
again  a  favorable  current,  of  which  the  whole  fleet  took 
advantage,  and  kept  ])lying  to  windward  till  four  P.  M., 
when  we  all  stood  into  a  deep  bay,  or  estuary,  at  the 
inner  extremity  of  which  is  the  town  of  Amoy  ;  a  place 
of  great  trade,  if  a  judgment  can  be  formed  by  the  vast 
number  of  vessels  which  we  perceived  to  be  lying 
there. 

The  masters  of  the  two  junks  that  were  nearest  to 
us,  made  motions  that  were  not  difficult  to  understand, 
that  we  should  go  and  anchor  under  the  lee  of  an  island 
a  little  to  windward  of  us  ;  which  we  did  at  six  o'clock, 
near  two  Chinese  jmiks.  The  captain  of  one  of  these 
came  on  board,  and  informed  us,  that  the  name  of  the 
town  was  Amoy  ;  that  the  land  about  three  and  a  half 
leagues  to  windward,  was  the  Island  Kemoy  ;  and  that 
we  must  keep  the  lead  going  all  the  time,  as  there  were 
numerous  rocks  and  shoals  in  the  intermediate  space. 

Some  very  neat  bcises,  surrounded  with  trees  and 
shrubbery,  and  having  the  appearance  of  country  seats 
of  opulent  men,  were  beautifully  situated  on  the  side  of 
a  hill  opposite  to  the  spot  where  we  had  anchored  ;  and 


60 


FIRST  vova(;e, 


the  whole  island,  of  apparently  not  more  than  two 
miles  ill  circumference,  presented  a  liigiily  cultivated 
and  pleasing  appearance.  During  the  day,  we  had 
passed  several  considerable  settlements,  one  of  which 
had  a  wmH  round  it  ;  and  the  country,  gem  rally,  ex- 
hibited an  appearance  of  great  cultivation.  We  dared 
not  take  advantage  of  the  night  tide,  after  the  account 
of  the  dangers  which  the  Chinaman  had  given  us,  and 
therefore  remained  at  anchor  aH  night.  I  would  glad- 
ly have  procured  i  pilot,  but  could  not ;  and  hod  no 
other  resource  than  following  the  imperfectly  conveyed 
directions  of  the  Chinaman,  and  trusting  to  the  lead  and 
a  good  look  out,  for  safety. 

Desirous  of  reconnoitring  the  ground  before  us  at 
low  water,  when  some  of  the  reefs  would  discover 
themselves,  we  remained  at  anchor  on  the  31st  for  this 
purpose ;  and  saw  many  rocks  in  our  track,  which  were 
not  visible  at  high  water.  Of  these  we  took  the  bear- 
ings, and  saw  how  to  avoid  many  of  the  dangers  wiiich 
were  pointed  out  to  us  by  tlie  Chinaman. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  February,  we  re- 
sumed the  task  of  beating  to  windward  ;  and  although 
we  had  frequently  only  two  fathoms  of  water,  and  did 
not  always  deepen  it  by  sian(hng  off  shore,  we  yet, 
fortunately,  reached  in  safety  the  anchorage  under  the 
lee  of  the  Island  Kemoy  towards  evening,  after  hav- 
ing passed  a  day  of  great  anxiety  and  fatigue. 

The  duty  had  now  been  so  arduous,  the  prospect  of 
its  duration  so  uncertain,  and  the  dangers  so  appalling, 
that  the  men,  unceasingly  exposed  to  wet  and  cold,  be- 
came quite  disheartened  ;  and,  during  the  ensuing  night, 
entered  into  a  combination  to  compel  me  to  return  to 
Macao.      This   was   manifested    in   the   morning,  by  a 


iMI'TlNY. 


61 


of 


I 


general  refusal  to  weigh  anchor,  when  the  order  was 
given,  in  this  determination  they  were  so  well  agreed, 
that  I  (lid  not  attempt  to  force  them,  otherwise  than  by 
declaring  to  them,  that  if  they  would  not  work  they 
should  not  eat,  and  took  the  necessary  ))recauti(jn  to 
prevent  their  getting  provisions.  On  this  they  hocame 
very  boisterous  ;  using  insolent  and  abusive  language  to 
myself  and  ofliccrs  ;  swearing  they  would  have  provis- 
ions ;  and  providing  themselves  with  axes,  crowbars, 
and  wlritever  weapons  they  could  find,  to  enforce  their 
threat  ;  or  possibly  to  take  possession  of  the  vessel. 

It  was  now  very  evident,  that  no  time  was  to  be  lost 
in  putting  ourselves  in  a  state  of  defcno'  ;  which,  if  it 
did  not  discouragf!  the  attempt,  should  defeat  the  suc- 
cess of  any  desperate  measure  they  might  plan.  With 
this  view,  I  caused  a  four-pound  cannon,  loaded  wiili 
langrage,  to  be  pointed  forward  from  each  side  of  the 
quarter-deck  ;  and  each  officer,  at  the  san)e  time,  pro- 
viding himself  with  a  pair  of  loaded  pistols,  we  had 
nothing  to  ap[)rehend  from  an  attack,  while  we  observed 
the  degjKie  of  vigilance  the  case  demanded.  When 
this  preparation  was  made,  I  forbade  any  man  to  come 
abaft  the  mast,  on  penalty  of  being  fired  at  ;  and  de- 
clared to  them,  that  if  I  perceived  any  number  coming 
aft  together,  J  would  discharge  one  of  the  cannon 
among  them. 

With  this  view,  I  had  constantly  a  man  on  the  alert, 
at  each  gun,  with  a  lighted  match  ;  and  we  relieved 
each  other  every  two  hours.  Aware  that  this  state  of 
things  could  not  be  of  long  duration,  neither  myself  nor 
officers  attempted  to  [)rocure  any  sleep  during  the  suc- 
ceeding night. 

JIaviiig  remained   in  this   hostile  attitude  for  about 


62 


lUSI'   VOYAOC. 


twenty-four  hours,  without  perceiving  any  (iiniinulion  of 
the  resolution  of  the  uuitineers,  it  occurred  to  uie,  that 
if  tliey  would  consent  to  he  set  on  shore,  they  would 
soon  be  glad  to  be  taken  on  board  again  on  i^uch  t(;rrns 
as  I  should  prescribe.  When,  therefore,  I  made  the 
proposition  to  them,  'liry  readily  acceded  to  it  ;  and 
were  immediately  lauded  on  the  beach.  The  curiosity 
of  the  inhabitants  to  see  them  was  such,  that  they  were 
incessaully  surrounded  by  a  great  crowd,  and  their  sit- 
uation became  extremely  irksome  antl  uucomforlabic  ; 
besides  which,  they  coidd  obtain  no  other  food  than  a 
scanty  supply  of  rice.  The  next  morning,  (3d),  we 
perceived  the  eldest  of  the  party,  (a  good-natured  old 
man-of-war's-man,  of  about  fifty,  whose  pride  of  ad- 
hering to  his  comrades,  rather  than  hostility  to  us,  had 
led  him  into  his  present  trouble,)  coming  down  to  the 
beach  and  waving  his  jacket,  as  if  he  wanted  to  speak 
with  us.  Supposing  he  might  be  deputed  by  the  others 
to  make  some  proposal,  1  sent  the  boat,  with  the  chief 
mate,  and  with  George  and  the  linguist  to  row  him. 
Old  Will,  (for  that  w'as  the  name  by  which  he  was 
called,)  had  no  other  favor  to  ask,  than  permission  to 
come  on  board  again  on  any  terms.  He  was  according- 
ly brought  oil';  and  appeared  to  be  so  much  ashamed 
of  liis  conduct,  ami  })romised  so  fairly  to  behave  well 
in  future,  that  I  forgave  him.  lie  gave  a  lameiuablc 
account  of  the  great  inconvenience  they  experienced 
from  the  excessive  curiosity  of  the  inhabitants  to  see 
them  ;  and  from  which  they  had  been  jjartially  relieved 
by  the  kindness  of  a  humane  Mandarin,  who  gave 
them  shelter  in  his  house.  lie  al-jo  mentioned  the  re- 
gret, expressed  by  several  of  them,  at  having  acceded 
to  my  proposal  of  leaving  the  vessel. 


.Ml  TINY;    MCANfS   OF   .^UUDflNt;    U", 


63 


A  fow  hours  after  old  Will  liad  bocii  taken  on  board, 
I  saw  all  the  others  getting  into  a  Chinese  boat  ;  and 
therefore  made  preparation  to  keep  them  oH',  if  they 
shoidd  attempt  to  eomc  on  board  withont  permission. 
When  they  had  arrived  within  hail,  I  cautioned  them, 
on  their  jjeril,  to  approach  no  nearer.  They  said,  the 
Mandiuin  had  sent  tl  em  ofl',  and  tiicy  dared  not  return. 
With  a  cannon  pointed  towards  the  boat,  I  threatened 
them  with  destruction  if  they  attempted  to  advance. 
The  Chinamen,  who  were  at  the  oars,  seeing  this,  be- 
came so  alarmed  that  they  iiastened  to  the  shore  again. 
This  I  conceived  to  be  the  proj)cr  moment  for  getting 
my  men  on  board  on  my  own  terms.  Accordingly,  the 
mate  and  myself,  well  armed,  and  rowed  by  two  men, 
went  to  the  beach;  and  calling  one  at  a  time  into  the 
boat,  took  their  solemn  promise  of  future  good  be- 
haviojr. 

There  were  two  desperate  fellows,  the  ringleaders, 
whom  I  determined  not  to  take  on  board  ac:ain  on  anv 
conditions.  I  had  recently  learned  that  they  were  con- 
victs, who  had  escaped  from  Botany  Bay  ;  and  that  the 
one,  whom,  from  his  intelligence  and  activity,  I  had 
made  boatswain,  had  once  been  master  of  a  Liverpool 
guineaman.  This  man,  probably  suspecting  my  inten- 
tion, attempted  to  come  without  being  called  ;  and 
when  refused,  he  immediately  o])ened  his  clasp  knife, 
and  presenting  it  to  the  brcaHt  of  !iis  comrade,  who 
was  ailvancing  towards  the  boat,  threatened  him  with 
instant  death  if  he  attempted  to  pass  him.  I  then 
levelled  my  musket  at  him  ;  but  instantly  rccolleciing 
that  we  had  already  secured  men  enough  to  navigate  the 
vessel  with  safety,  desisted  from  firing  it  ;  and  returned 
on   board  with  all   but  six  ;  hoping,  that,  with  a  little 


64 


FIRST    VOYAGE. 


further  delay,  wc  sl)oultl  obtain  the  other  four,  of  whicli 
I  was  d  oirous.  Accordingly,  next  morning,  seeing 
tlicni  ng;iin  on  the  beach,  I  went  to  them,  armed  as  be- 
fore ;  anil  found  they  had  determined  not  to  separate  ; 
though  thoy  all  made  fair  promises  of  good  conduct,  if 
I  would  in'  n  them  on  board  again.  Being  convinced 
that  I  could  not  get  tnose  I  wanted  without  those  [  did 
not  want,  1  determined  to  prosecute  my  voyage,  even 
with  such  reduced  numbers  ;  and,  weighing  anchor,  ."e 
recommenced  our  arduous  and  hazardous  duty  of  beat- 
ing to  windward. 

We  stood  out  to  sea,  with  a  good  whole-sail  breeze 
from  northeast,  till  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
5th,  when  we  tacked.  The  wind  and  sea  having  in- 
creased very  considerably,  reduced  us  to  our  double 
reefs  ;  and,  on  con)ing  in  with  the  land,  we  found  we 
had  gained  several  miles.  IJut  with  so  much  wind  and 
sea  as  there  then  was,  we  could  not  advance  any  on  our 
course,  and  we  determined  to  find  an  anchorage.  This 
wc  succeeded  in  doing  by  running  a  little  to  leeward  ; 
and  at  noon,  anchored  in  a  deep  bay  not  more  than  five 
or  six  miles  from  the  place  where  we  had  landed  our 
men.  On  conang  to  anchor  we  discharged  a  cannon, 
to  notify  our  men,  that  there  was  yet  time  to  dissolve 
their  partnership. 

Here,  for  a  moderate  compensation,  I  again  engaged 
a  Chinaman  to  fill  up  om*  water-casks,  and  re[)lenish  our 
stock  of  wood.  In  the  afternoon,  I  visited  one  of  the 
large  China  junks,  near  to  which  we  had  anchored ; 
where  I  was  treated  with  great  politeness  by  a  person, 
whom,  from  his  dress  and  appearance,  I  took  to  be  (he 
owner.  He  oflered  us  tea  and  sweatmeats  in  the 
great  cabin,  which  was  extremely  neat  and  clean,  and 


VISIT   I'UO.M    A    CmXESE. 


G5 


in  whirli  a  .Toss  occuiMcd  a  conspicuous  plnce.  I 
invited  liim  to  go  on  l)oard  my  vessel,  to  which  he 
very  readily  assented  ;  and,  as  he  seemed  to  |)Ossess 
an  in((uiring  mind,  i  pointed  out  to  him  our  superi- 
ority of  manner  over  his,  of  taking  n[)  the  anchor, 
hoisting  the  sails,  &c.,  of  which  he  seemed  to  be  con- 
vinced ;  and,  after  taking  some  refreshment,  he  left  us, 
apparently  much  pleased  with  his  visit. 

The  gcile  continuing  the  next  day,  it  would  have 
been  useless  to  put  out  ;  we  therefore  lay  at  anchor  all 
day.  Al)out  noon,  observing  a  great  concourse  of  peo- 
ple on  tlie  bench,  from  which  we  lay  half  a  mile  distant, 
with  the  help  of  my  glass  I  perceived  that  our  men 
were  among  them  ;  and  that  they  were  getting  into  a 
boat.  1  then  prepared  to  keep  them  oil',  in  case  they 
should  attempt  to  come  on  board  by  force.  When 
they  were  within  hail,  I  desired  them  to  keep  off. 
Thcv  replied,  that  the  Mandarin  would  not  let  them  re- 
main on  shore,  and  were  advancing  ;  when,  on  firing  a 
nuisket  over  them,  they  immediately  retreated  to  the 
shore,  'i'he  ^randnrin,  with  his  numerous  attendants, 
then  came  ofl',  lea\  iiig  our  muiineers  on  shore.  I  in- 
vited these  on  board,  and  treated  them  with  wine  and 
sweatmeets  ;  but  would  not  comply  with  the  pressing 
desire  of  the  Mandarin,  to  take  all  our  men  on  board 
again.  I  believe  I  succeeded  in  making  him  understand 
that  lour  of  the  six  1  sliould  !)e  willing  to  take  again, 
but  that  the  other  two  I  would  not. 

After  remaining  an  hour  on  board  and  examining 
every  thing  with  much  earnestness  and  attention,  they 
returned  to  the  shore.  At  the  same  time,  and  wiili  the 
usual  precaution,  I  went  nenr  the  beach,  in  m\-  boat, 
and,  calling  each  of  the  persons  separately,  by  name, 
G* 


66 


FIRST    VOV  \Gi:. 


iiiquirGcI  if  he  was  ready  to  co  ou  ■  .  on  my  condi- 
tions. Tliey  decliired  iliey  would  aicc  separate  ;  but 
conipiained  of  the  crueUy  and  hcirdHiii[fi  of  being  left  in 
such  a  phice.  This  was  the  last  imtjiview  1  had  with 
them  ;  for,  soon  after  returning  ob  HhjoivIt  I  saw  them 
niarclied  away,  escorted  by  the  ^HUiiii  which  attended 
the  Maiuhuin.  On  our  return  toCuiron,  we  learned 
that  these  six  men  had  been  sent  liitirt  by  th*^  Chinese 
authorities,  and  delivered  to  iht  Ea^uh  company's 
residents. 

The  next  morning,  having  a  ia-i  .oable  ciuTei'!  and 
a  good  I)reeze,  we  put  out,  and  beat  rail  th^  tide  began 
to  make  against  us  ;  when  we  gained  ;uij  inchorage  near 
a  small  fishing  town,  where  we  lax  nlie  remainder  of 
the  (hiy,  and  all  the  following  ii>i.lc.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  7th,  we  had  a  luoitinne  breeze  from 
north-nnrtlnvest,  by  means  of  whicii  ;wti  made  a  course 
nearly  parallel  with  the  China  ('cm«u  oil  noon.  The 
breeze  then  left  us,  and  having  u  owjxxary  current,  we 
let  run  the  graplin,  in  twenty  fathcmti  :  and  lay  till  five 
P.  M.,  when  there  came  a  liu:ht  hrnssA  firom  the  south- 
east, to  which  we  set  all  sail. 

In  the  course  of  the  afiernocm..  couinir  tlie  calm,  a 
large  boat  came  towards  us,  full  ul  amn,  shouting  and 
hallooing,  and  occasionally  firing  a  aui  they  had  in  the 
bow.  Their  conduct  was  so  ven-  'diiiierent  from  that 
of  any  of  the  Chinese  we  had  met  wrii^  tliat,  suspecting 
they  might  be  Ladrones,  J  urdertid  i  tour-pound  shot 
fired  over  them  ;  which  produced  vm  instantaneous  re- 
treat to  the  shore.  Between  ten  aiii:  eleven  o'clock, 
the  wind  contiiming  to  be  very  licikn,  we  discovered  a 
large  boat  rowing  towards  us,  whidii  I  iupposed  to  be 
the  sauic.     When  at  a  short  disianotM  windward  they 


III3AVV   GALES   ACROSS   THE  rACUIC. 


G7 


left  off' rowing  and  lay  on  their  oars.  Tiieir  manoeuvres 
and  number  of  men  led  me  to  be  suspicious  ;  and  I 
therefore  loaded  two  cannon  and  several  muskets. 
They,  however,  probably  from  seeing  wc  were  not  off 
our  guard,  returned  towards  tlie  shore  without  molest- 
ing us. 

With  various  winds  and  weather,  we  diligently  pur- 
sued our  course  to  the  northward,  till  we  got  out  of  the 
influence  of  the  monsoon  ;  and  on  the  11th  of  Februa- 
ry, had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  north  end  of  For- 
mosa, bearing  south,  distant  ten  leagues.  Tlius,  alte^ 
thirty-one;  days  of  great  toil,  exposure,  and  anxiety,  we 
had  accomplished  that  part  of  our  passage,  which  had 
been  represented  as  an  impossibility  ;  and  which,  with 
a  fair  wind,  might  have  been  performed  in  three  days. 

On  the  I  Till,  we  passed  between  the  north  end  of  the 
Island  Lekeyo  (which  is  nearly  four  hundred  miles 
cast  of  Formosa)  and  several  small  islands  which  lie 
to  the  norlh  of  il,  with  a  gale  of  wind  from  the  west- 
ward, and  under  the  head  of  our  squaresail,  having 
previously  split  the  topsail,  and  got  tlie  yards  on  deck.  I 
had  only  a  manuscript  cliart  of  the  North  Pacific,  which, 
I  was  convinced,  was  not  to  be  depended  on,  having 
already  discovered  two  islands  that  were  net  laid  down 
in  it.  And  as  the  gale  continued  to  blow  witii  \  iolence, 
till  we  had  quite  passed  the  coast  of  .Tapan,  the  nights, 
which  were  long,  and  exceedingly  dark,  were  passed  in 
slee|)less  anxiety,  lest  we  should  meet  destruction  from 
some  island  or  rock,  not  laid  down  in  my  chart. 

Our  pa;  age  acro-^s  the  ?^orth  Pacific  [)rnvcd  clcaily 
enough  the  misai)plicatioii  <.;(  the  term  to  that  sea,  as  it 
was  hardly  possible  for  it  to  be  less  peaceful.  'I'hc  vi- 
olence  of  the  wind,  generally  obliged  us   to   show  but 


m 


68 


FinST  VOYAGE. 


very  little  sail  ;  ami  the  sea  was  so  boisterous,  that 
there  were  but  few  clays  when  we  were  not  enveloped 
by  it,  so  that  the  fire  was  repeatedly  extinguished  in 
the  caboose.  The  men,  who  composed  the  watch  on 
deck,  never  escaped  a  complete  drenching  ;  and  had 
constant  employment  in  carrying  their  clothes  np  the 
ris-criiv  to  drv.  The  exposure  and  privations,  though 
not  suflicient  to  injure  the  health  of  the  crew,  were 
much  greater  than  they  had  ever  before  experienced  ; 
and,  as  they  imagined  that  the  other  passages  were 
to  be  equally  fatiguing,  they  formed  the  design,  (of 
which  1  had  notice,)  of  deserting,  as  soon  as  they  could, 
after  our  arrival  on  the  coast. 


I 
1 


ANCHOR  AT  NORFOLK  SOl'XD. 


69 


C  H  \  I'  T  E  R    VI. 

See  tlie  Coast  of  America. —  I'rcpare  JJiihvarks  — Anchor  at  Norfolk 
Sounil.  —  Discharge  a  Cannon.  —  Natives  come  to  us— Caution  to 
tlieiii.  —  Tlieir  Apuearance.  —  I'urchase  Skins.  —  Tribe.  —  An  Ac- 
cident. —  Result.  —  Chatham  Straits.  —  Ship  Eliza.  —  Suspicious 
Conduct  of  the  Natives.  —  An  Alarm.  —  Steeken.  —  War  Canoe. 
—  A  Present.  —  llee,ue8t  to  stop  the  Rain.  —  A  Deserter.  —  Re- 
covered. —  Game.  —  Anchor  in  a  Cove.  —  Hostile  Altitude  of  the 
Natives.  —  Leave  them.  —  Ship  Cheerful. —  Daiiiferous  Position 
of  the  Vessel.  —  Escape,  —  IJepair  the  Damai,'e.  —  Siiips  Hancock 
and  Despatch,  of  Boston.  —  Skittigates. —  Stratagem. —  Howlings 
in  the  Night.  —  Sensibility  of  a  Native.  —  Chiefs  Kovv,  Coneyaw, 
and  Eltargec. 


»    ; 


Early  in  the  morning  of  t  e  30tli  of  March,  we  saw 
tlie  usual  indications  of  land,  drift-wood,  kelp,  and 
gulls  ;  and  at  ten  o'clock  perceived  the  snow-capped 
hills  of  the  American  coast,  twelve  leagues  distant. 
Wc  immediately  set  all  hands  to  work  in  bending  our 
cables  and  getting  up  a  bulwark,  which  we  1  ad  been 
preparing  of  hides  sewed  together.  These  were  at- 
tached to  stanchions  of  about  six  feet,  and  completely 
screened  us  from  being  seen  by  the  natives,  whom  it 
was  important  to  oiu-  safety  to  keep  in  ignorance  of  our 
nundjers.  Towards  evening  we  anchored  in  a  snug 
harbour  at  Norfolk  Sound,  in  latitude  r)?'-"  10'  north. 
Here  the  smoothness  of  the  water,  the  feeling  of  safely, 
and  the  silent  tranquillity  which  reigned  all  round  us, 
formed  a  striking  contrast  to  the  scenes  with  which  we 
had   been   familiar   since    leaving  Canton  ;    and  would 


70 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


have  anbrtlcd  positive  cnjoynicnt,   had   I  possessed  a 
crew  on  whose  fidelity  I  could  depend. 

The  following  day  was  very  clear  and  pleasant.  At 
the  first  dawn  of  the  morning  we  discharged  a  cannon  to 
apprize  any  natives  who  might  he  near,  of  our  arrival. 
We  then  loaded  the  cannon  and  a  number  of  muskets 
and  pistols,  which  were  placed  where  they  could  be 
most  readily  laid  hold  of.  The  oidy  accessible  part  of 
the  vessel  was  the  stern,  and  this  was  exclusively  used, 
(while  it  was  necessary  to  keep  uj)  the  bulwark,)  as  the 
gangway.  As  it  was  over  the  stern  that  we  meant  to 
trade,  I  had  mounted  there  two  fuur-pound  cannon  ;  and 
on  the  tafiercl  a  pair  of  blunderbusses  on  swivels,  which 
were  also  loaded.  Soon  after  the  discharge  of  our 
cannon,  several  Indians  came  to  us  ;  and  before  dark 
some  hundreds  had  arrived,  who  encamped  on  the 
beach  near  which  the  vessel  was  anchored.  As  we 
observed  them  to  be  loaded  with  skins,  we  supposed 
that  we  were  the  first  who  had  arrived  this  season. 

With  a  view  to  our  own  security,  as  well  as  conven- 
ience, I  directed  my  Interpreter  to  explain  to  the  chiefs, 
and  through  them  to  the  tribe,  that  after  dark  no  ca- 
noe would  be  allowed  to  r-ome  near  the  vessel  ;  and 
that  if  I  perceived  any  one  approaching,  I  should  fire 
at  it ;  diat  only  three  or  four  canoes  must  come  at  a 
time  to  trade,  and  that  they  must  always  appear  under 
the  stern,  avoiding  the  sides  of  the  vessel.  With  my 
own  men  J  neglected  no  precaution  to  make  escape  im- 
possible, but  at  the  imminent  risk  of  life.  While  at 
anchor  they  were  divided  into  three  watcdies.  One  of 
these  I  took  charge  of;  and  stationing  them  in  such 
parts  of  the  vessel  that  no  movement  could  be  made 
undiscovered,  obliged  them   to  strike  the  gong  every 


■5 

I 


Ari'lIAK.WCK   OF   THR  NATIVES. 


71 


liiilf  lioiir  throughout  the  night,  ami  to  call  out,  from 
each  end  of  the  vessel  and  amidships,  "All's  well." 
This  practice  so  amused  the  Indians,  that  they  imitated 
it  hy  striking  a  tin  kettle,  and  repeating  the  uoi'ds  as 
near  as  they  were  able. 

But  a  more  hideous  set  of  beings,  in  the  form  of  men 
and  women,  I  had  never  before  seen.  The  fantastic 
manner  in  which  many  of  the  faces  of  the  men  were 
painted,  was  pro!)ably  intended  to  give  them  a  ferocious 
appearance  ;  and  some  groups  looked  really  as  if  they 
had  escaped  from  the  dominions  of  Satan  himself.  One 
had  a  perpendicular  line  dividing  the  two  sides  of  the 
face  ;  one  side  of  which  was  painted  red,  the  other, 
black  ;  with  the  hair  daubed  with  grease  and  red  ochre, 
and  filled  with  the  white  down  of  birds.  Another  had 
the  face  divided  with  a  horizonlai  line  in  the  middle, 
and  painted  black  and  white.  The  visage  of  a  third 
was  painted  in  checkers,  &,c.  Most  of  them  had  little 
mirrors  ;  before  the  acquisition  of  which,  they  must 
have  been  dependent  on  each  other  for  those  correct 
touches  of  the  [)encil  wliich  are  so  nuich  in  vogue ;  and 
which  daily  require  more  time  than  the  toilet  of  a  Par- 
isian belle. 

'J'he  women  made,  if  possible,  a  still  more  frightful 
appearance.  The  ornament  of  wood  which  they  wear 
to  extend  an  incision  niade  beneath  the  under  lip,  so 
distorts  the  face  as  to  take  from  it  almost  the  resem- 
blance to  the  human  ;  yet  the  privilege  of  Vvcaring  this 
ornament  is  not  extended  to  the  female  slaves,  who  are 
prisoners  taken  in  war.  Hence,  it  would  seem,  that 
distinctive  badges  have  their  origin  iu  the  most  rude 
state  of  society.      It  is  difllcult,  however,  for  the  imagi- 


72 


FinST   VOYAGi;. 


nation  to  conceive  of  more  disgusting  and  Hltliy  helngs 
than  these  patrician  dames. 

It  was  quite  noon  before  we  could  agree  upon  tlic 
rate  of  barter  ;  but  wlien  once  ananged  with  one  of  the 
chiefs,  and  the  exchange  made,  they  all  hurried  to  dis- 
pose of  their  skins  at  the  same  rate  ;  and  before  night 
we  had  j)urchased  upwards  of  a  hundred,  at  the  rate  of 
two  yards  of  blue  broadcloth  each.  The  Indians  as- 
sured us,  that  a  vessel  with  lliree  masts  had  been  there, 
a  month  before,  from  which  they  had  received  fonr 
yards  of  cloth  for  a  skin  ;  but  this  story  was  rendered 
imi)robable  by  the  number  they  had  on  hand  ;  anti  I 
considered  it  as  a  mano'uvre  to  raise  the  price.  As 
soon  as  it  became  dark  they  retired  in  an  ordcily  man- 
ner to  their  encampment,  abreast  the  vessel  ;  and  some 
of  them  appeared  to  be  on  the  watch  all  night,  as  we 
never  proclaimed  the  hour  on  board  without  hearing  a 
repetition  of  it  on  shore. 

The  following  morning,  (April  2d,)  the  natives  came 
off  soon  after  daylight,  and  began  without  hesitation  to 
dispose  of  their  furs  to  us,  at  the  price  fixed  upon  the 
day  before  ;  and  such  was  their  activity  in  trading  that,  by 
night,  we  had  purchased  of  them  more  than  two  hundred 
sea  otter  skins  ;  besides  one  hundred  and  twenty  tails. 
Our  barter  consisted  of  blue  cloth,  great  coats,  blan- 
kets, Chinese  trunks  ;  with  beads,  China  casli,  and 
knives,  as  presents.  Canoes  were  arriving  occasionally 
throughout  the  day  ;  so  that  at  night,  there  was  a  very 


)erce 


itibl 


e  auiiinentation  of  their  nuinb(;rs 


Oin-  linsiuist  recognised  them  to   be  the  Hoodsnahoo 


trib 


e,  wrio 


had 


come   thus   early 


to   tl 


le  coast   to  get  a 


supply   of  the  spawn  of  certain  fish,  which  constitutes 
their  principal  food   in  the  sjjring  of  the  year.     As  this 


CANOE   l.'PSET. 


73 


tribe  had  allacked  the  cutler  last  year,  alone,  we  thought 
it  not  improbable,  that,  now  they  W(Me  i>niled  with  the 
Norfolk  Sound  tribe,  tiiey  niii^lit  determine  to  make 
another  attempt.  We  therefore  took  every  precaution 
against  them. 

On  the  3d,  wo  were  proceeding  harmonionsly  and 
prosperously  in  our  traOie,  when  a  little  incident  oc- 
curred, which  produced  a  short  interruption.  A  canoe, 
containing  eleven  persons,  men,  women,  and  children, 
had,  contrary  to  our  regulations,  come  along  side,  and 
were  raising  the  screens  at  the  ports  to  look  in  on  tlje 
deck.  Before  1  had  time  to  speak  to  them,  the  cook 
(either  by  accident  or  design)  threw  a  ladle  full  of  hot 
water  over  them,  which,  causing  an  involuntary  and 
sudden  n)otion  of  their  bodies  to  the  other  side  of 
the  boat,  immediately  upset  it,  and  all  were  immersed 
in  the  water.  'JMie  confusion  was  now  very  great  ;  as 
those,  who,  at  the  time,  were  under  the  stern  engaged 
in  traHic,  fearing  some  treachery,  made  haste  to  paddle 
away,  without  regard  to  the  distress  of  their  comrade?. 
All  of  these  appeared,  however,  to  be  capable  of  taking 
care  of  themselves,  excepting  an  infant  of  about  a  year 
old,  whose  struggles  being  observed  by  Mr.  Smith,  he 
jumped  overboard  and  saved  it.  As  the  weather  was 
very  raw  and  chilly,  we  hastened  to  dry  and  warm  the 
infant  by  the  fire,  then  wrapped  it  in  a  blanket,  gave  it  a 
piece  of  sugar,  and  returned  it  "^  its  parents,  who  aji- 
pearcd   to  be  exceedingly  plea-  id  grateful.      'J'liev 

all  soon  recovered  from  the  iiu;onvenience  of  the  ac- 
cident, as  I  was  glad  to  find  they  considered  it.  The 
apprehensions  of  the  others  being  but  momentary,  we 
proceeded  again  to  liusiness,  which  was  conducted 
throughout  the  day  to  mutual  sntisfaction. 

VOL.    1.  7 


4 


74 


FIRST  VOYAOE. 


Having  ol)servc(.l,  on  ilic  -Itli  and  Cnh,  that  ilicir 
stoic  of  furs  was  nearly  c\liaiisled,  ue  wcinlicd  aiu  lior 
the  next  morning,  and,  parting  on  good  terms  wiili  ilic 
natives,  steered  iij)  a  narrow  passage,  in  an  easterly  di- 
rection, till  we  arrived  in  that  extensive  sonnd,  which 
Vanconver  has  called  Chalham's  Straits  Nearly  oppo- 
site to  tiie  opening  into  this  sonnd  is  the  village  of  ilood- 
snahoo,  the  tribe  we  had  jnst  [)arted  with  ;  and  here 
we  came  to  anchor.  Several  women  came  oil",  and 
told  us  there  were  no  skins  in  the  village  ;  that  the  men 
were  gone  in  pursuit  of  them  ;  and  that,  if  we  came 
there  again  in  twice  ten  days,  they  should  have  |)lenty. 
Here  we  passed  a  day  in  fdling  up  our  empty  water- 
casks  and  getting  a  su|)ply  of  wood. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  9th,  we  put  out  of  the  snug 
cove  in  which  we  were  lying,  having  been  inforu)ed 
by  the  Indians,  that  there  was  a  ship  in  sight.  This 
we  found  to  be  true,  as,  on  opening  the  sound,  we 
saw  her  not  more  than  a  mile  distant  from  us.  Soon 
after,  we  were  boarded  by  Captain  Kowan,  of  ship 
Eliza,  of  Boston,  who  had  arrived  on  the  coast  at  least 
a  month  before  us,  and  who,  having  been  very  success- 
ful, was  now  on  his  wa}'  to  the  southward  to  com- 
plete his  cargo,  and  then  to  leave  the  coast.  He  men- 
tioned, that  ten  vessels  would  probably  be  despatched 
from  Boston  for  the  coast  this  season. 

From  this  information  it  was  evident,  that  it  would 
require  all  our  eflbrts  to  dispose  of  our  articles  of 
traffic  advantageously,  before  the  competition  should 
reduce  their  value.  For  the  Indians  are  sutliciently 
cunning  to  derive  all  [)ossible  advantage  from  compe- 
tition, and  will  go  from  one  vessel  to  another,  and 
back   again,    with  assertions  of  otiers   made    to  them, 


\V.\R   CANOE. 


75 


wliich  have  )io  foiiiidation  in  truth,  nnd  showing  them- 
selves to  be  as  well  \cr,>ed  in  the  tricks  of  trade  as  tite 
greatest  adepts. 

After  taking  leave  of  Captain  Rowan,  we  were  pro- 
reeding  along  the  western  shore  of  the  sound,  with  a 
light  breeze,  when  we  fell  in  with  a  canoe,  from  which 
we  obtained  fot"-  skins,  but  were  obliged  to  pav  more 
for  them  than  for  any  others  we  had  bought.  This 
wa'  in  consequence  of  their  knowing  what  Captain 
Rowan  had  been  paying,  which,  he  informed  me,  was 
twice  as  much  as  I  had  given.  We  now  were  influenc- 
ed very  much  by  the  course  of  the  wind,  in  om*  deter- 
mination of  going  u|)  and  down  the  sound,  and  into  its 
various  ramifications,  always  directing  our  course  to  any 
point  where  we  discovered  a  smoke,  and  remaining  no 
longer  than  to  purchase  what  skins  the  natives  pos- 
sessed. On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  bavins;  passed  up 
the  eastern  branch  of  the  sound,  we  came  to  anchor 
near  to  a  high  isolated  rock.  A  space  on  the  top  of 
this  was  enclosed  with  a  ckevaux  de  (rise  ;  and  on  the 
side  towards  us  it  was  inaccessible.  We  perceived 
many  people  moving  about  within  the  enclosure  ;  and 
soon  after  coming  to  anclior,  several  canoes  came  off 
to  us,  and,  among  them,  one  large  war  canoe  with 
twenty-five  warriors,  with  their  war  garments  on,  and 
well  armed.  This  had  been  but  a  short  lime  near  us, 
before  the  Indians  in  her  gave  a  loud  shout,  and  pad- 
dle l  towards  the  shore,  at  the  same  time  discharging 
dieir  muskets  in  the  air,  and  saying  their  enemy  was 
in  sight.  But,  as  the  other  canoes  with  which  we  were 
trading  did  not  leave  ns,  nor  evince  any  fear,  I  could 
not  help  susj)ecting  some  stratagem,  ami  therefore  made 
preparation,  and  kept  every  man  on  the  alert. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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2.2 


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I-    ill  2.0 


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1.4 

J4 

.« 6"     - 

► 

Photographic 

Sciences 
Corpomtion 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


f/j 


76 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


Scarcely  half  an  hour  had  elapsed  after  the  war 
canoe  left  us,  when  we  again  saw  her  couiine;,  accom- 
panied by  two  others  of  e(]ual  size,  and  equally  well 
manned  and  armed.  Three  canoes  were  under  our 
stern  trading  ;  and  iheir  hurried  and  earnest  maimer 
was  evidently  designed  to  divert  our  attention  from 
those  which  were  approaching.  But  as  soon  as  they 
were  within  hail,  we  desired  them  to  come  no  nearer, 
on  penalty  of  being  fired  at.  They  then  pulled  leisurely 
towards  the  shore.  Whilst  this  was  transacting,  our 
linguist,  in  selling  a  musket,  had  carelessly  laid  a  car- 
tridge of  powder  by  him,  which  took  fire  and  scorched 
him  considerably.  The  blaze  alarmed  the  Indians, 
who,  as  if  conscious  of  intended  mischief  on  their  part, 
suspected  it  on  ours,  as  they  immediately  seized  and 
levelled  the;"  muskets  at  us.  Without  reflecting  how 
useless  was  the  exposure,  I  involuntarily  seized  and 
pointed  a  blunderbuss  at  them,  while,  in  a  moment, 
George,  ever  on  the  alert,  was  at  my  side  with  his 
musket  cocked  and  ready  to  fire  ;  but,  fortunately, 
those  who  managed  the  paddles  exerted  themselves  to 
gel  out  of  our  reach,  and  so  soon  increased  the  distance 
between  us,   that  no  gun  was  discharged  on  cither  side. 

After  their  fears  were  a  little  abated,  we  called  to 
some  natives  in  a  small  canoe,  and  explained  to  them 
the  cause  of  the  alarm,  and  desired  them  to  tell  their 
friends,  that,  if  they  would  come  ofl' in  the  small  canoes, 
and  without  arms,  we  woidd  trade  with  them.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  invitation,  several  canie  off  unarmed  ; 
and  while  they  were  engaged  in  disposing  of  their  furs, 
we  kept  a  lookout  after  their  comrades.  By  the  aid 
of  our  glass  we  perceived,  that  they  were  putting  their 
arms  into  the  small  canoes,  and  embarking  as  many  men 


TRAFFIC  WITH   THE  N.ATIVi:?!. 


77 


' 


as  each  would  carry.  V^iion  within  Iiail,  they  were 
cautioned  to  come  no  nearer  ;  hut  they  persisted  in 
advancing,  till  they  saw  that  we  were  pointing  a  cannon 
at  them.  They  then  leturned  to  the  shore,  and  ap- 
peared to  have  abandoned  their  design,  though  a  con- 
siderable ariued  body  of  them  kept  on  the  shore  abreast 
of  the  vessel,  occasionally  firing  their  muskets,  all  day. 
The  circumstance  of  their  women  not  being  with  them, 
and  also  that  of  their  having  very  few  skins,  tended  to 
confirm  me  in  the  belief,  that  their  intentions  were  mis- 
chievous. But,  whatever  may  have  been  their  design, 
we  parted  with  them,  as  we  had  done  with  other  tribes, 
on  friendly  terms. 

On  the  1.5tl),  while  steering,  as  we  supposed,  for 
the  village  of  Sleeken,  we  came  across  a  canoe  belong- 
ing to  that  tribe,  from  whicli  we  obtained  directions 
for  finding  it  ;  but,  as  the  wind  was  light,  and  a  current 
against  us,  we  were  unable  to  reach  it  before  dark,  and 
anchored  about  two  miles  olF.  During  the  night  there 
was  a  considerable  fall  of  snow.  In  the  morning  we 
weighed  anchor,  and,  about  an  hour  after,  dropped  it 
again  abreast  the  village.  Several  canoes  came  off, 
and  sold  us,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  sixty  skins, 
several  cotsacks  (or  cloaks  of  hir),  and  fifty-six  tails. 
On  leaving  us,  at  dark,  they  promised  to  return  the 
next  day  with  more  skins,  and  moreover  told  us,  that 
if  we  would  remain  five  or  six  days,  several  great  chiefs 
would  arrive  with  their  families,  and  bring  plenty  of 
skins. 

Unexpectedly,  one  of  these  very  great  chiefs  arrived 
the  next  day  in  a  canoe  quite  as  long  as  my  vessel,  and 
orn.uTiPuted  with  a  rudelv  carved  figuie  of  a  warrior  on 
the  prow,  the  head  of  which  was  decorated  with  real 

7  # 


(8 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


Iiair,  filled  with  a  mixture  of  grease  and  red  oclue,  and 
the  white  down  of  birds.  'J'ho  chief  was  a  dignified, 
good-looking  man  of  abont  forty-five.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  tweniy-two  athletic  youjig  men,  who  appeared 
to  handle  their  paddles  with  a  gracefulness  and  dexteri- 
ty, as  much  excelling  the  management  of  the  ordinary 
canoes,  as  the  oarsmen  of  a  man-of-war's  barge  surpass 
those  of  a  merchantman.  This  chief  was  very  desirous 
to  come  on  board  ;  but  to  have  indulged  him  would 
have  been  an  imprudent  ex[)osure  of  the  smallness  of 
our  numbers.  lie  then  expressed  a  wish  to  liave  a  can- 
non discharged  ;  and  we  readily  fired  two  in  inunediate 
succession,  which  appeared  to  astonish  and  gratify  him, 
and  on  the  subject  of  which  much  conversation  was  held 
with  his  men  :  but  it  was  only  partially  iniderstood  by 
my  linguist  as  ex|)ressing  admiration  ol"  the  report.  Af- 
ter this,  the  chief  stood  up  and  made  a  speech,  evincing 
his  pleasure,  and  at  the  same  time  handing  up  three  fine 
skins  as  presents.  An  Indian's  gift  is  understood  here, 
as  elsewhere,  to  be  made  with  the  expectation  of  a 
gc.ierous  return  ;  and  I  gave  to  the  ciiief  great  coats, 
cloth,  knives,  beads,  and  China  cash,  to  more  than  their 
value.  He  drank  half  a  tmnbler  of  wine  with  great 
relish,  and  then  blew  into  the  air  a  quantity  of  the  down 
of  birds  m  token  of  friendship.  As  they  left  us  to  go 
ashore,  they  all  began  a  song,  whose  wildness  was  in 
perfect  keeping  with  their  appearance,  and  to  which 
they  kept  the  most  exact  tiiiie  with  their  paddles. 

The  days  of  the  iSlhaiid  IDlh  were  rainy  and  un- 
pleasant. We  continued  at  anchor,  and  were  visited 
by  a  number  of  Indians  with  skins  ;  but  they  did  not 
trade  with  much  spirit.  The  rainy,  chilly  weather  seem- 
ed to  have  checked  their  animation  ;  and  they  would  sit, 


IRISH  SAILOR. 


79 


crouched  up  in  their  canoes,  looking  at  us  for  hours  to- 
gellicr,  wiihout  altering  their  position,  while  it  rained 
without  cessation.  At  length  we  observed  a  very  old 
chief  earnestly  engaged  to  get  his  canoe  nearer  to  t  ;  as 
1  suj)|)osed  to  sell  his  furs  and  be  ofi'.  But  not  so  ;  his 
object  was  to  persuade  me  to  cause  the  rain  to  cease  ; 
and,  as  an  inducement,  he  assured  me,  they  would  bring 
a  great  many  skins.  As  there  was  no  appearance  of 
fair  weather,  I  told  him  1  could  not  do  so  that  day,  but 
might  possibly  the  next.  It  happened  that  the  next 
day  was  fair  ;  but  I  saw  nothing  more  of  the  chief. 

Wo  sailed  from  this  place  on  perceiving  that  we  had 
exhausted  their  store  of  skins  ;  and,  in  passing  to  and 
fro  ill  the  multitude  of  the  ramifications  of  this  exten- 
sive inland  navigation,  we  met  many  straggling  canoes, 
and  seldom  any  one  that  had  not  some  skins  to  dispose 
of.  In  this  way  we  had  a  great  advantage  over  a  large 
vessel  ;  and,  by  running  into  various  creeks,  where, 
probably,  no  vessel  had  ever  been  before,  our  collec- 
tion of  a  few  at  a  lime  amounted  to  a  very  considerable 
number. 

On  the  1st  of  May  we  anchored  near  a  place  favor- 
able for  replenishing  our  wood  and  water  ;  and,  while 
busily  engaged  in  this  business,  one  of  my  Irish  sailors, 
eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  ofllcer  who  was  with  the 
party,  made  his  escape.  As  he  was  on  an  island  of  no 
great  extent,  and  could  procure  nothing  to  subsist  u|)on, 
there  was  no  doubt  he  would  endeavour  to  get  on  board 
the  first  canoe  he  might  see.  Therefore,  as  soon  as 
our  business  was  accomplished,  we  proceeded  to  the 
village,  about  four  miles  to  leeward,  and  immediately 
despatched  two  canoes  after  him,  promising  a  reward  of 
a  musket  to  the   one  that  should  bring  him.     The  ca- 


80 


FIK3T  V()YAGK. 


noes  no  sooner  came  in  sight,  than,  liaving  no  suspicion 
that  they  were  in  piiisnit  of  iiim,  he  called  to  tlicin, 
and  one  of  them  readily  took  him  on  board  ;  but,  in- 
stead of  bringing  iiim  to  us,  put  him  ashore  at  their  vil- 
lage. The  next  day  it  was  evident,  that  they  had  no 
intention  of  returning  him,  as  they  made  various  ex- 
cuses ;  such  as,  "  he  was  too  strong  for  them  ;  "  "  the 
women  would  not  allow  him  to  be  sent  on  board  ;  " 
and  "  lie  liad  gone  away  to  a  distant  place."  It  then 
became  necessary  to  convince  them  that  I  was  in  ear- 
nest ;  and,  hauling  my  cutter  near  to  the  village,  I 
threatened  them  destruction  with  my  great  guns  if  they 
delayed  to  bring  oiY  the  man  ;  and,  firing  a  four-pound 
shot  over  them,  it  made  such  a  cracking  among  the 
trees,  that  they  were  too  much  frightened  to  hesitate 
any  longer.  The  man  was  brought  on  board  ;  and  1 
paid  the  promised  reward,  charging  the  value  to  the  ac- 
count of  the  delinquent.  On  investigation  it  appeared, 
that  he  and  another  lad  had,  sonje  time  past,  deiermined 
on  escaping  in  our  boat,  but  had  never  found  an  oppor- 
tunity. Had  they  succeeded,  as  we  had  only  (me  boat, 
the  loss  of  it  would  liave  been  very  distressing  to  us. 
For  the  several  succeeding  days  wc  did  not  anchor, 
but  kept  under  way,  and  approached  the  siiore  wherever 
there  was  a  smoke,  or  where  wc  had  before  met  the 
natives.  ])uring  this  time  we  came  across  many  ca- 
noes, some  of  which  were  looking  for  a  vessel  to  trade 
with  ;  and  of  such  stragglers  we  bought  many  skins. 
Others  reported  that  they  had  fallen  in  with  two  ships,  to 
which  they  had  disposed  of  all,  and  were  then  on  their 
way  to  look  for  more.  Among  thorn  was  an  old  chief, 
and  a  number  of  men  and  women  of  his  tribe,  whom 
we  remembered  to  have  seen  at  Norfolk  Sound.     They 


1 

3 

i 


n 


CIIILCAT  TRIIIE. 


81 


had  now  their  faces  blacked,  and  their  hair  cut  short, 
which,  they  told  us,  was  in  mourning  for  a  friend  tliat 
had  lately  been  killed. 

As  we  a|)|)roaclied  the  northern  part  of  the  sound,  the 
wild  fowl  became  more  abundant  ;  and  scarce  a  day 
passed,  that  we  did  not  kill  a  number  of  geese,  turkeys, 
and  ducks.  The  latter  were  so  numerous,  as  often  to 
darken  the  horizon  in  the  direction  in  which  they  rose  ; 
and  at  one  time  1  fired  a  canister  of  musket  balls  from 
a  four-pounder  at  them,  and  killed  six.  Of  fish,  also, 
particularly  salmon  and  iialibut,  we  iiad  always  an  abun- 
dant supply,  both  catching  them  ourselves,  and  pro- 
curing them  from  the  natives.  But  our  potatoes  were 
consumed,  and  no  vegetable  could  be  had  as  a  substi- 
tute. It  was  yet  too  early  in  the  season  for  wild  ber- 
ries ;  and  the  natives  had  not  reached  that  first  point  of 
civilization,  which  is  indicated  by  an  attention  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  eartli. 

T!ie  Indians,  who  had  last  left  us,  perceiving  we 
were  going  further  north,  advised  us  to  be  on  our  guard 
against  the  Chilcat  tribe,  whose  village  we  were  ap- 
proaching, and  whom  they  represented  as  being  very 
numerous,  very  warlike,  and  very  mischievous.  On 
the  Gth  of  May  we  had  arrived  at  the  northern  ex- 
tremity f  ( 'iiatham's  Straits,  near  the  Chilcat  tribe; 
and,  having  a  strong  wind  from  the  soutii,  we  found  a 
harbour  in  a  neighbouring  cove,  and  came  to  anchor 
within  a  cable's  length  of  the  shore,  being  in  latitude  59^ 
30'  north.  Here,  sheltered  from  the  violence  of  the 
south  wind,  we  lay  in  smooth  water  ;  but,  owing  to  the 
boisterous  state  of  the  weather  outside,  only  two  canoes 
came  to  us  this  day. 

The  wind,  having  subsided  during  the  night,  was  sue- 


83 


I'lKST  vov.\(Ji:. 


cccdod  by  a  calm.  This  being  favorable  for  the  ca- 
noes, ihcy  arrived  in  surprising  numbers.  We  bad 
witnessed  nothing  to  be  compared  wiili  it  since  our 
arrival  on  the  coast.  Coming  in  divisions  of  foin-  or 
five  eacli,  by  ten  o'clock  twenty-six  were  assembled  in 
the  cove,  some  of  which  were  as  long  as  my  vessel, 
and  carrying  from  twelve  to  twenty-eight  persons  each, 
making  an  aggregate  of  about  five  hundred  nicn,  all  well 
armed  with  muskets,  spears,  and  daggers.  They  were 
unaccompanied  by  their  women  and  children,  and  had 
but  few  skins,  which  was  a  certain  indication,  that  tiieir 
intentions  were  of  a  hostile  character. 

It  will  be  perceived,  that  our  situation  was  now  one 
of  great  danger.  The  calm  continuing,  rendered  it 
impossible  for  us  to  retreat  ;  and  it  was  obvious,  that  if 
they  attacked  us  with  resolution,  their  great  superiority 
of  numbers  would  enable  them  to  overwhelm  us,  before 
the  guns  could  be  reloaded,  after  the  first  discharge. 
Our  only  alternative,  then,  was  to  make  the  best  prepa- 
ration in  our  power  for  repelling  an  attack,  and  to  sell 
our  lives  as  dearly  as  possible  ;  for  our  men  were  all 
convinced,  that  death  was  greatly  to  be  jMcferrcd  to 
falling  alive  into  the  hands  of  these  barbarians.  Ac- 
cordingly, our  cannon  were  all  loaded  with  bags  of 
musket  balls.  Our  small  arms,  two  muskets  and  two 
pistols  for  each  man,  were  also  loaded  ;  and  our  jtikes 
placed  at  hand. 

The  Indians  passed  most  of  the  day  in  their  canoes, 
keeping  at  about  a  cable's  length  distant  from  our  ves- 
sel, continually  endeavouring  to  persuade  us  to  let  ihem 
approach,  by  the  assurance  of  having  a  great  many  skins. 
Our  own  men,  at  the  same  time^  with  lighted  matches, 
were  all   day  at  the  guns,  pointing  at  them  as   they  al- 


i 


inisrri.irv  of  rirE  .\ativi;h 


83 


4 


ler(;(l  tlieir  posiiions  ;  while  our  linguist  was  calling  to 
llicin  not  to  advance,  on  pain  of  destruction  iVoni  the 
great  guns.  In  this  hostile  attitude  each  parly  remained 
all  day.  Jn  the  forenoon  we  observed  two  large  canoes 
to  go  away,  which,  returning  before  night,  we  supposed 
might  have  been  sent  for  reinforcements.  The  day 
had  been  a  long  and  anxious  one  ;  and  when  night 
came,  we  were  rejoiced  to  see  lhen\  go  on  shore,  haul 
up  their  canoes,  and  build  their  fires.  They  remained 
quiet  during  the  night,  excepting  mocking  our  watch,  as 
each  half  hour  was  called  out.  Karly  next  morning, 
there  sprang  up  a  breeze  from  the  northward,  when  we 
got  under  way,  and  proceeded  out  of  the  cove,  the  In- 
dians begging  us  to  remain  another  day,  and  jiromising 
us  a  great  many  skins.  We  had  scarcely  got  into  the 
broad  part  of  the  sound,  before  we  met  two  war  canoes, 
each  containing  twenty-six  men,  well  armed,  who  were 
on  tlieir  way  to  join  the  others  ;  and  for  whose  arrival 
the  attack  had  probably  been  delayed.  Of  these  1  pur- 
chased four  skins  in  passing  ;  and  they  were  exceeding- 
ly anxious  we  should  return  and  anchor  again,  assuring 
us  of  a  great  many  skins.  On  perceiving  their  persua- 
sions to  be  of  no  avail,  they  showed  evident  demon- 
strations of  great  disappointment. 

But  I  discovered  afterwards,  on  falling  in  with  the 
English  ship  Cheerfid,  Captain  iJeck,  that  lliey  were  in- 
stigated to  attack  us  by  a  greater  stimulus  than  tliiir  cu- 
pidity, namely,  a  desire  for  revenge,  it  appeared,  from 
Ca|)tain  Beck's  account,  that  his  ship  had  run  aground 
on  a  sand  bank,  near  where  we  had  anchored,  about  a 
month  before  ;  that  while  carrying  out  an  anchor  the 
natives  were  seen  approaching  in  great  numbers,  and, 
he  had  no  doubt,  with  hostile  intentions.     lie  therefore 


84 


FIH8T   VOVAfJK. 


I 


called  his  men  on  board,  and  prepared  for  resistance. 
As  tliey  advanced  towards  liini,  lie  cautioned  liioni  to 
conic  no  nearer  ;  but,  disregarding  the  warning,  and 
still  approaching,  he  fired  over  them.  This  not  pro- 
ducing the  desired  eflect  of  intimidating  them,  he  re- 
luctantly fired  among  them,  and  supposes  he  killed  and 
wounded  several,  as  there  were  great  cries  heard,  great 
confusion  in  the  fleet,  and  an  instantaneous  retreat. 
Captain  Beck  had  left  Macao  in  September,  but  had 
been  little  more  than  a  month  on  the  coast,  and  had  not 
met  with  good  success. 

After  leaving  the  Chilcat  tribe,  as  above  mentioned, 
we  steered  so  '  ward,  till  we  reached  that  branch  of 
the  sound  w  runs  in  an  easterly  direction.      It  was 

deemed  ad-  -,<.  ..e  to  sail  up  this  branch,  and  round 
those  islands  which  are  called,  by  Vancouver,  Admiral- 
ty, Macartney's,  and  Duke  of  York's  Islands,  visiting 
the  several  tribes  who  inhabit  their  shores,  and  pur- 
chasing all  the  furs  they  bad  collected.  For,  having  at 
this  tiuie,  19th  of  May,  nearly  ex|)ended  our  articles 
of  barter  to  great  advantage,  it  was  requisite  that  we 
should  make  preparation  for  leaving  the  coast,  by  get- 
ting a  supply  of  wood,  and  filling  up  our  water-casks. 

Tlic  next  day,  while  steering  to  the  westward  with 
ibis  intention,  and  going  at  the  rate  of  about  two  knots, 
unsuspicious  of  danger,  the  vessel  suddenly  struck  a 
sunken  ledge,  and  stopped.  Perceiving  that  she  hung 
abaft  the  midships,  and  that  there  were  three  and  a  half 
fathoms  under  the  bows,  we  immediately  run  all  tho 
guns  forward,  and  carried  out  an  anchor  aheao  ,  but  the 
tide  el)bed  so  rapidly,  that  our  eflbrts  to  heave  her  off 
were  ineirectual.  We  therefore  heeled  her  on  the  side, 
whence  she  woidd  be  less  likely  to  roll  over.     At  low 


m 


DIHASTKR. 


85 


water  tlie  position  of  iho  vessel  was  sucli  as  to  riflbrd 
but  le(;ljle  expectation  lliat  she  could  escape  bilging. 
She  liiMic;  by  about  four  feet  amidships,  having  slid 
about  as  nuich  on  tiie  rock  as  the  tide  ftdl,  and  brought 
up  with  the  end  of  the  bowsprit  against  the  bottom. 
Her  keel  formed  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  with  the 
water  line,  the  after  part  of  it  being  from  fourteen  to 
fifteen  feet  above  the  rock.  This  position,  cond)incd 
with  a  rank  heel  to  starboard,  rendered  it  impossible 
to  stand  on  deck.  We  therefore  put  a  nuiid)er  of  load- 
ed nuiskets  into  the  boat,  and  prepared  for  such  re- 
sistance, in  case  of  being  attacked,  as  could  be  made 
by  fifteen  men,   crowded   into  a  sixteen  feet  boat. 

Our  situation  was  now  one  of  the  most  painful  anxie- 
ty, no  less  from  the  innnediate  pros|)ect  of  losing  our 
vessel,  and  the  rich  cargo  we  had  collected  with  so 
much  toil,  than  from  the  apprehension  of  being  discov- 
ered in  this  defenceless  state  by  some  one  of  the  hostile 
tribes  by  which  we  were  surrounded.  A  canoe  of  the 
largest  class,  with  thirty  warriors,  well  armed,  had  left 
ns  not  more  than  half  an  hour  before  we  struck,  who 
were  now  prevented  from  seeing  us  by  having  passed 
round  an  island.  Should  the  vessel  bilge  there  existed 
scarcely  any  other  chance  for  the  preservation  of  our 
lives,  than  the  precarious  one  of  falling  in  with  some 
ship.  That  she  would  bilge  there  was  no  reason  to 
doubt,  if  the  weather  varied  in  any  degree  from  that 
perfect    calm    which    then    prevailed.      More    than    ten 


10 


urs  were   passed   in  this  agonizing  state  of  suspense 


watcl 


iin£ 


the 


hori/.on    to   discover  if  any  savages  were 


approaching,  —  the  heavens,  if  there  were  a  cloud  that 
might   chance  to  ruffle  the  smooth  surface  of  the  water, 
—  the    vessel,   whose    occasional    cracking    seemed    to 
VOL.    I.  8 


SG 


KIIl.ST  VDYAfiK. 


warn  us  of  ilostruction  ;  and,  when  the  tide  bcgnn  to 
flow,  impalienlly  observing  its  apparently  slugtr;isli  ad- 
vance, wliile  I  involinilariiy  consnltod  my  watcli,  the 
hands  of  wliicli  seemed  to  liavc  forgotten  to  move,  in 
this  painful  interval,  I  beguiled  some  little  time,  while 
seated  in  the  boat,  by  taking  a  sketch  of  the  hazardous 
situation  of  my  cutter,  at  low  water,  fearing  that  it  might 
soon  be  beyond  my  power  to  give  such  evidence  of  her 
sad  fate. 

At  length,  the  water  having  Hewed  over  the  coam- 
ings of  the  hatches,  wliiih  hud  been  caulked  down  in  an- 
ticipation of  this  event,  without  any  indication  of  the 
vessel's  lifting,  I  was  deliberating  on  the  propriety  of 
cutting  away  the  mast,  when  we  perceived  her  to  be 
rising.  She  soon  after  righted  so  much,  that  we  could 
go  on  board  ;  and  at  half  past  twelve  in  the  night  we 
had  the  indescribable  plnsure  of  seeing  her  afloat  again, 
without  having  received  any  other  apparent  injury  than 
the  loss  of  a  few  sheets  of  copper. 

To  the  perfect  calm,  smooth  water,  and  uncommon 
strength  of  the  vessel,  may  be  attributed  our  escape 
from  this  truly  perilous  situation.  On  the  2'M,  being 
in  a  favorable  place,  and  where  there  were  no  indica- 
tions of  natives  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  we  took  the 
opportunity  to  lay  the  vessel  ashore.  The  tide  having 
left  her,  it  was  evident  that  there  was  no  material  in- 
jury. The  keel  was  considerably  brushed,  from  the 
eO'ect  of  having  slid,  while  on  the  rock.  From  the 
same  cause,  several  sheets  of  copper  were  rolled  up, 
and  a  few  feet  of  the  sheathing,  under  the  copper,  very 
much  broken.  All  these  were  repaired  as  well  as  our 
time  and  means  would  permit  ;  and  at  high  water  we 
hauled  off  again. 


I 


I 


A  (;\i,i;. 


87 


i 


4 


We  passed  nnollicr  week  in  cruising  about  llic  sound  ; 
but  perceiving,  tlial  llx?  stock  of  the  natives  in  this 
rpiarter  was  so  exiiausicd,  that  wIkmi  wc  came  across 
a  canoe  llicy  had  schloin  any  skins  wiih  tliein,  it  was 
deemed  expe(Ment  to  leave  Chatham's  Straits.  We  de- 
termined, tiierefore,  to  proceed  to  Norfolk  Sound  again, 
there  ])ick  up  what  wc  couhl  by  lying  a  day  or  two, 
and  then  go  to  Charlotte's  Islands,  previous  to  taking  a 
final  farewell  of  the  coast.  With  this  intention  we 
steered  westward.  Arriving  in  the  broad  ]iart  of  the 
somul,  the  course  of  which  is  north  and  south,  and  hav- 
ing the  wind  from  the  southward,  we  could  make  but 
little  progress  on  our  way.  Tn  the  afternoon  the  south 
wind  increased  greatly,  and  caused  such  a  sea  as  latterly 
wc  had  been  entirely  unaccustomed  to.  As  nnuh  fa- 
tigue and  some  risk  would  be  incurred  by  attempting  to 
pass  the  night  in  tacking  to  and  fro  in  the  sound,  with- 
out a  possibility,  while  the  wind  was  so  high  and  the 
§ea  so  rough,  of  advancing  at  all  on  oin*  way,  it  became 
very  desirable  to  find  a  harbour  ;  and  a  little  before 
sunset,  being  near  the  eastern  side  of  the  sound,  we 
perceived  an  opening  of  about  a  fourth  of  a  mile,  be- 
tween two  precipitous  hills,  clothed  from  the  bottom 
to  their  summits  with  pine.  The  hills  on  each  side 
forming  the  entrfince  were  so  decisively  indicative  of 
suflicient  depth  of  water,  that  we  ran  boldly  in,  without 
taking  the  precaution  of  first  sending  the  boat  to  recon- 
noitre. We  were  immediately  becalmed  on  jiassing 
the  entrance,  and,  using  our  sweeps,  rowed  but  a  third 
of  a  mile  before  we  were  in  perfectly  smooth  water. 
The  passage,  having  become  narrower  as  we  had  ad- 
vanced  in   it,  rendered  anchoring  unnecessary  ;  and  we 


88 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


kept   the  vessel  suspended,  between  the  two   shores, 
by  ropes  made  fast  to  tlie  trees. 

Our  position  was  quite  rouiantic.  The  thick-wooded 
hills  on  either  side  seemed  almost  to  unite  at  the  top  ; 
the  dark  gloom  overhanging  all  around  ;  the  silence 
and  tranipiiility  which  had  so  instantaneously  succeed- 
ed the  roar  and  turbulence  of  the  sea  without  ;  and 
the  comfort  and  security  for  the  night  of  which  we  had 
a  prospect,  all  combined  to  |)roduce  sensations  of  a 
most  pleasing  character.  While  musing  on  the  scenery 
about  us,  and  while  it  was  yet  twilight,  I  perceived  a 
movement  in  the  bushes,  and  in  a  moment  a  large  bear 
made  his  appearance,  probably  attracted  by  the  scent  of 
the  vessel.  As  the  object  of  killing  him  did  not  appear 
to  me  to  compensate  the  risk  of  the  attempt,  I  refused 
permission  to  my  men  to  go  ashore  for  that  pur|)ose  ; 
but,  as  he  seemed  disposed  to  remain  and  make  our 
acquaintance,  1  caused  a  four-pounder  to  be  discharged 
at  him.  The  piece  was  elevated  too  high  ;  the  ball 
went  over  him,  making  a  great  cracking  among  the 
bushes,  and  the  reverberation  of  the  report  was  long 
and  loud.  lie  did  not  wait  for  a  second,  but  scampered 
off  among  the  bushes,  and  we  s:i\v  him  no  more. 

The  wind  having  come  round  to  the  northwestward 
during  the  night,  we  put  out  early  in  the  morning  of 
the  30lli,  and,  steering  southward,  before  night  we  had 
an  unbounded  ocean  open  to  our  view.  This  little 
variation  to  the  scene  was  quite  agreeable,  as  wo  had 
now  been  two  months  navigating  inland,  without  having 
even  a  sight  of  the  ocean,  and  having  been  at  all  times 
surrounded  with  lofty  mountains,  whose  sides  present 
an   impenetrable  forest  of  pine  wood,  and  whose  sum- 


pn 
firs 


SHII'ri    HANCOCK   AND   DKSl'A'l'CII 


89 


mils  (at  the  north)  are,  most  of  the  year,  covered  with 
ice  and  snow. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  approacliing  Norfolk  Sound,  a 
siiip  was  perceived  going  in  before  us,  which  proved 
to  be  the  Hancock,  of  IJoston,  Captain  Crocker,  who 
had  arrived  on  the  coast  in  April.  As  we  drew  near 
to  her  after  she  had  anchored,  a  considerable  bus- 
tle was  perceived  on  board,  as  if  they  were  preparing 
for  defence  ;  which,  I  was  afterwards  amused  to  find, 
arose  from  our  suspicious  and  uncouth  appearance. 
This,  to  be  sure,  was  rather  unusual,  from  the  circum- 
stance of  our  beards,  at  this  tin. 3,  being  four  or  fi/c 
inches  long  ;  as,  having  found  the  operation  of  shaving 
to  be  diflicult,  where  the  motion  of  the  vessel  was  so 
great,  I  had  neglected  it  since  leaving  China,  and  my 
officers  and  men  had  followed  my  example  ;  so  that  it 
must  be  admitted,  we  did  present  an  appearance  so  lit- 
tle prepossessing,  that  it  was  very  excusable  for  people 
whom  we  approached  to  be  on  their  guard. 

The  following  day  arrived,  and  anchored  near  us,  the 
ship  Despatch  of  Boston,  Captain  Breck,  which,  as 
well  as  the  other  ship,  had  arrived  on  the  coast  rather 
too  late  to  insure  successful  voyages  the  present  season. 
Wiiile  three  vessels  were  lying  together  here,  it  was 
amusing  lo  observe  the  adroitness  and  cunning  with 
which  the  Indians  derived  all  possible  advantage  from 
the  com|)etiiion.  They  had  succeeded  In  raising  the 
price  of  their  skins  so  high,  that  there  was  a  necessity, 
at  last,  of  our  entering  into  an  agreement,  respecting  the 
price  to  be  given,  which  ought  to  have  been  made  at 
first  ;  as  not  less  requisite  to  profit,  than  to  despatch. 

Although  nearly  a  week  was   passed    here,   yet   the 
natives  showed  so  liti.e  earnestness  to  dispose  of  their 
8* 


90 


FIRST   V(JYA«E. 


furs,  tliat  very  few  were  purchased  till  the  clay  hefore 
our  departure,  and  wlieii  they  iiad  taken  ample  time  to 
satisfy  themselves  ihey  were  obtaining  the  highest  price. 
The  whole  number  of  skins  purchased  during  this  time, 
by  the  three  vessels,  did  not  exceed  together  more 
than  two  hundred  and  fifty,  and  for  these  we  j)aid  more 
than  twice  as  much  as  for  those  which  were  obtained 
here  on  my  arrival. 

Leaving  this  place  on  the  7th,  and  pursuing  a  course 
to  the  southward,  we  fell  in,  a  week  after,  with  the  ship 
Ulysses,  of  Boston,  Captain  Lamb.  This  ship  had  ar- 
rived on  the  coast  a  month  before  us  ;  but  the  success 
which  ought  to  have  resulted  from  so  early  an  arrival, 
was  defeated  by  a  mutiny  of  long  and  ruinous  duration. 
Thus  it  appears  that  no  less  than  three  ships  had  arriv- 
ed on  the  coast  before  us,  and  that  to  accident,  not 
less  than  to  industry  and  perseverance,  were  we  indebt- 
ed for  our  great  success. 

X  long  continued  southerly  wind  so  retarded  cur  pas- 
sage to  Charlotte's  Islands,  that  we  did  not  reach  the 
Skittigates,  (the  largest  tribe  of  these  islands,)  till  the 
20tii,  having  found  it  advisable  to  make  a  haibour  on  the 
way,  where  we  lay  three  days,  and  were  screened  from 
the  efl'ects  of  a  southeast  gale.  Li  the  mean  time,  our 
men  were  em  loyed  in  replenishing  our  stock  of  wood 
and  water.  When  near  to  the  Skiltitni'.cs,  it  being  calm 
and  the  current  running  out,  we  anchored  about  two 
miles  north  of  their  village.  As  this  was  a  numerous  and 
warlike  tribe,  whose  intercourse  with  foreigners  had 
been  great,  and  to  whose  hostility  and  treachery 
some  of  them  had  fallen  victims,  there  was  a  necessity 
for  the  observance  of  all  that  vigilance  on  our  part,  to 
guard  against  surprise,  which  we  had  been  in  the  prac- 


0 


SKITl'KiATES. 


91 


i 


tice  of  observing.  One  ol"  tliisj  tribe,  in  order  to  decoy 
men  asliore,  covered  himself  in  a  bear's  skin,  and  came 
out  of  the  border  of  the  woods,  on  all  fours,  abreast 
the  ship,  while  a  party  lay  in  anibiush  ready  to  fire  on 
those  who  shonid  come  in  piu'suit.  The  stratagem 
would  have  succeeded,  had  not  one  of  the  natives  been 
too  earnest  to  come  forward,  so  as  to  be  discovered  in 
time  for  the  boat  to  retreiU,  before  any  mischief  had 
occurred. 

Soon  after  anchoring,  a  ca  loe  came  to  us  from  which 
we  procured  three  skins.      The   Indians  in  this  canoe 
assured  us  that  there  were  plenty  of  skins  at  the  village, 
and  ujanifesled  a  desire  that   we  should  go  there.      In 
the  morning  of  the  21st,  several  canoes  came  to  us  with 
some  of  the  inferior  chiefs.      They  were  very  urgent  in 
their  entreaties  for  us  to  go  uj)  to  the  village,  alleging 
that  it  was  so  far  for  them  to  come,  that  many  would 
be  deterred  by  it  from  bringing  their  skins.      Their  so- 
licitations,  however,  were  of  no    avail,   as    1    b.ail    no 
doubt,  that  those  who  had  skins  to  dispose  of  would  not 
be  prevented  from   coming  to  us  by  the  distance,   and 
that  we  should  avoid  the  visits  of  the  mischievous  and 
idle,  by  remaining  at  our  present  anchorage.      H\  nine 
o'clock,  we  had  many  canoes  assembled  about  us  ;    but 
they  appeared  to  be  so  indillerent  about  trading,  that  it 
was  j)ast  noon  before  they  began  ;  yet,  such  was  their 
alacrity  when  they  did  begin,  that  by  dark  they  luul  sold 
us  upwards  of  one  hundred  skins,  and  one  hundred  and 
thirty  tails.      The   succeeding  day  was  squally  and  un- 
pleasant,  and   we  had  a  smaller  number  of  the  natives 
about  us.      We  purchased,  however,  eighty-five  skins, 
and  as  many  tails.     Towards  evening  a  canoe  came  to 
us,  with  the  son  of  the  chief  of  the  J^kittigates  on  board, 


92 


FinST   VOYAGE. 


who  told  us,  that,  if  we  woiih^  remain  another  clay, 
his  father  would  come  to  us,  and  bring  a  great  many 
skins.  In  the  night,  which  was  perfectly  calm,  we  heard 
frequent  and  wild  howlings  at  the  village,  and  occasion- 
ally the  report  of  a  musket. 

The  morning  of  the  23d  was  calm,  and  a  (\worable 
current  for  the  Indians  to  come  to  us  ;  hut,  having 
waited  till  near  noon  without  seeing  a  single  canoe  mov- 
ing, we  were  at  a  loss  to  conjecture  the  reason,  more 
especially  after  the  promise  of  the  king's  son,  last  even- 
ing. Tn  case,  however,  of  their  bringing  many  skins, 
as  they  promised,  we  had  not  the  means  of  piu'chasing 
them,  our  articles  of  barter  being  nearly  expended.  It 
was  therefore  judged  best  not  to  wait  to  ascertain  the 
cause  of  such  extraordinary  conduct  ;  and,  having  a 
light  breeze  from  the  south,  we  put  out  with  the  inten- 
tion of  going  over  to  the  Coneyaws. 

The  next  day,  when  about  two  leagues  south  of 
Point  Ros'j,  the  breeze  not  being  suflicieiit  to  enable 
us  to  stem  the  current,  we  came  to  anchor.  Soon 
afterwards,  two  large  canoes  came  to  us,  in  one  of 
which  was  a  young,  good-looking  warrior,  the  son-in- 
law  of  Coneyaw,  who  is  head  chief  of  the  Tytantes 
tribe,  and  who,  with  other  warriors,  had  come  over  on 
a  hostile  expedition  against  Cummashaw's  tribe.  Be- 
ing so  nearly  on  the  point  of  having  the  coast,  and 
therefore  fearing  no  bad  consequences  from  an  exposure 
of  our  weakness,  I  acceded  to  the  earnest  solicitations 
of  this  young  ''arrior  to  come  on  board.  This  was  the 
only  one  of  th_  natives  whom  we  had  admitted  on  board 
since  being  on  the  coast.  We  invited  him  into  the 
cabin,  and  gave  him  a  glass  of  wine,  which  pleased  him 
so    much,   that   he    soon   asked  for  anotlier.     Having 


t 


SENSIBILITY   OF  A  NATIVE. 


93 


1 


iTiadc  inc  a  present  of  a  very  fine  skin,  I  made  a  return 
of  a  shirt,  jacket,  and  pantaloons,  wliif.li  lie  immediate- 
ly put  on,  and  appeared  to  be  well  satisfied  uitii  the 
figure  lie  made,  and  much  pleased  with  the  dress.  But 
the  friendly  feelings  I  had  inspired  suffered  a  momen- 
tary interruption,  by  my  careless  and  apparently  rude 
manner  of  giving  him  a  handkerchief,  lieing  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  cabin  from  that  on  which  1  was  sit- 
ting, I  threw  it  into  his  lap,  when,  instead  of  taking,  he 
allowed  it  to  roll  down  on  the  floor,  his  feelings  so 
much  wounded  that  he  actually  shed  tears  ;  nor  was  it 
without  considerable  eflbrt,  that  we  persuaded  him  that 
no  in^;ult  was  intended,  by  assuring  him  that  it  arose 
from  my  ignorance  of  the  etiquette  which  custom  had 
established  among  them.  This  little  interruption  to 
our  harmony  was  of  short  duration,  the  party  aggrieved 
being  satisfied  with  my  aj)ology  ;  and  having  purchased 
of  him  and  his  comrades  about  sixty  skins,  we  parted 
with  mutual  good-will  and  friendship. 

It  was  now  time  to  make  the  necessary  preparation 
for  leaving  the  coast,  by  filling  up  our  water-casks,  and 
procuring  sufllcicnt  wood  for  the  passage  to  China. 
With  this  intention  we  directed  our  course  for  Tatiskee 
cove,  where,  liavi  anchored,  we  set  about  cutting 
wood  with  all  diligence,  and  also  procuring  our  supply  of 
water.  This  work  being  accomplished,  we  were  ready 
for  our  de])arture  on  the  2Gth  ;  but  the  wind  was  from 
the  soutii,  and  the  weather  rainy  and  boisterous.  It 
was  therefore  decidedly  most  advantageous  for  us  to 
lie  (piietly  in  the  snug  port  where  we  were  anchored, 
and  wait  for  a  fair  wind  and  the  return  of  good  weather 
before  putting  (o  sea. 

The  wind  having  changed   to  the   westward  during 


94 


FIHST    VOYAGE. 


the  night,  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  of  June  we 
weighed  anchor  for  the  last  time  on  the  coast,  and 
put  to  sea,  intending  to  reconnoitre  North  Island  be- 
fore bidding  farewell  to  the  coast.  But,  owing  to  a 
contrary  current,  it  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  we 
passed  the  southern  point  of  Kiganny  ;  previous  to 
which  we  were  boarded  by  the  celebrated  chief  Kow, 
a  man  whose  intelligence  and  honest  demeanor  recom- 
mended him  to  all  who  had  any  dealings  with  him.  He 
had  always  been  in  the  habit  of  coming  on  board  the 
Cutter  on  her  former  voyages,  and  had  never  failed  to 
receive  the  most  generous  and  friendly  treatment  from 
Captain  Lay,  lier  former  master,  whom  he  was  much 
disappointed  in  not  finding  on  board.  For  the  few 
skins  he  had  we  paid  him  liberally  ;  and  he  left  us  much 
satisfied. 

The  following  day,  at  noon,  we  had  arrived  opposite 
and  near  to  the  village  on  North  Island.  A  number 
of  canoes  soon  came  ofl',  in  one  of  which  was  the  chief 
Coneyaw,  and  in  another  Eltargee.  The  latter  had,  a 
year  or  two  ago,  accidentally,  it  was  said,  caused  the 
death  of  a  Captain  Newberry,  by  the  discharge  of  a  pis- 
tol, which  he  did  not  know  was  loaded.  His  looks, 
however,  nerc  so  much  against  him,  and,  in  the  short 
intercourse  we  had  with  him,  his  actions  and  manner  so 
corresponded  with  his  looks,  that  I  should  require  the 
clearest  evidence  to  be  satisfied  that  the  disaster  was 
purely  the  eflect  of  accident. 


SAIL    FOR   SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


95 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Sail  fur  Samiwicli  Islands.  —  Satisfactitjn.  —  Owhyiioc.  —  Prdvisions 
and  Fruit. —  Natives.—  Mowrc. —  Proceed  Westward.  —  Tinian. 

—  Anclior  in  the  Ty pa.— Ship  Ontario.  —  Ueflections  caused  by 
lier  Loss.  —  Proceed  to  VVanipoa  and  Canton.  —  Take  a  Factory. 

—  Contract  for  the  Cargo  —  Causes  operating  to  discoiinigc  a 
I'ettirn  to  the  Coast.  —  Sell  the  Cutler.  —  Sail  for  Calcutta. — 
Malacca.  — Pulo  Pinang.  —  Procure  a  Pilot.  —  Arrive  at  Calcutta. 


I  PURCHASED  the  few  skins  offered  me,  amounting 
to  thirty-two,  wliile  under  sail  ;  and  now,  having  no 
other  object  to  detain  us  longer  on  the  coast,  we,  at 
four  P,  M.,  bade  farewell  to  the  natives.  With  a  fine 
breeze  from  west-northwest,  I  steered  to  the  south- 
west, not  less  happy  in  the  successful  accoinplishii.ent 
of  my  object,  than  in  the  reflection  of  its  having  been 
attained  without  injury  to  the  natives,  or  other  than  the 
most  friendly  interchange  of  commodities  with  them. 
Indeed,  now  that  1  was  fairly  at  sea,  and  free  from  the 
chance  of  those  casualties  to  which  I  had  so  long  been 
subjected,  the  relief  from  anxiety,  the  comparative  feel- 
ing of  security,  the  satisfaction  arising  from  a  thorough 
performance  of  duty,  and  from  the  independence  to 
which  it  led  in  this  instance,  can  be  more  easily  ima- 
gined than  described.  Nor  was  this  pleasure  in  any  de- 
gree diminished  by  the  task,  which  yet  remained,  of 
proceeding  to  China  ;  as  this  was  a  passage,  for  the 
most  i)art,  through  the  trade  winds,  where  the  weather 
was  fine  and  the  sea  smooth,  and  where,  consequently, 


96 


FIRST   VOVAGE. 


one  great  cause  of  the  dissatisfaction  of  my  nioii  would 
be  removed. 

During  our  passage  to  the  Sandwich  Tslandjs  no  in- 
cident occurred  to  vary  tiie  monotony  of  tiie  voyage. 
We  had  none  other  than  a  fair  wind  ;  indeed  liio  gales 
were  so  propitious,  that  \\c  had  sight  of  Owhyhec 
the  twentieth  day  after  taking  our  departure  from  the 
coast  of  America.  At  three,  P.  M.  of  the  19th  of 
July,  the  snow-capped  summit  of  that  island  was  seen 
above  the  clouds,  at  a  distance  of  at  least  twenty-five 
leagues  off,  and  bearing  southwest  by  west.  Stand- 
ing in  boldly  for  the  shore  all  night,  we  were,  at 
dawn,  within  about  a  mile  of  it,  and  saw  several  beauti- 
ful runs  of  water  falling  in  cascades  over  per|)endic- 
ular  precipices  into  the  sea.  We  perceived,  also,  a 
mustering  among  the  natives  to  come  of}'  to  us.  The 
sea,  however,  was  so  rough,  that  only  two  or  three  at- 
tempted it,  and  having  bouglil  of  these  a  few  melons 
and  cabbages,  we  proceeded  to  leeward,  towards  Toi- 
yahyah  Bay,  in  the  hope  of  finding  smoother  water. 
This  was  discovered  as  soon  as  we  doubled  round 
Kohollo  Point,  when  a  multitude  of  canoes  came  off 
to  us,  bringing  a  great  supply  of  hogs,  j)otatoes,  tare, 
cabbages,  water  and  nmsk  melons,  sugar-cane,  &c. 

We  admitted  a  chief  on  board,  who,  while  he  kept 
the  natives  in  order,  and  guarded  us  against  having  too 
many  on  board  at  a  time,  served  us  also  as  a  broker, 
and  very  much  facilitated  our  purchases.  He  riMuained 
on  board  all  night,  and  was  equally  serviceable  to  us 
the  next  day,  when,  by  noon,  having  a  suflicient  supply 
of  every  thing  which  the  island  alFordcd,  we  dismissed 
our  broker  with  satisfactory  presents,  and  pursued  our 
course  to  the  westward. 


bj 
tl] 

ti 

Scj 

\v\ 

sc 


CHARACTER   OF  THE  NATIVES. 


97 


Toi- 


The  very  limited  intercourse  we  had  with  the  nntives 
of  this  island  was  hardly  suflicient  to  enable  us  to  form 
a  correct  judgment  of  their  general  character.  The 
contrast,  which  their  cleaidiness  forms  with  the  filthy 
appearance  of  the  natives  of  the  Northwest  Coast,  will 
not  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  most  unobserving. 
Nor  have  they  less  advantage  over  their  Northwest 
neighbours  in  the  size,  sha|)e,  and  gracefulness  of  their 
persons,  and  in  the  open,  laughing,  generous,  and  ani- 
mated expression  of  their  countenances.  The  charac- 
teristics of  these  islanders  arc  activity,  gayely,  volatility, 
and  irritability  ;  those  of  the  Northwest  Indians,  heavi- 
ness, melancholy,  austerity,  ferocil}',  and  treachery. 
They  are,  perhaps,  in  each  case,  such  as  would  natural- 
ly be  inferred  to  be  the  effect  of  climate  operating  on 
the  materials  of  rude  and  savage  characters. 

The  expertness  of  these  islanders  in  the  art  of  swim- 
ming has  been  remarked  by  the  earliest  navigators  ; 
and  Meares  mentions  some  divers,  who,  in  attempting 
to  recover  an  anchor  he  had  lost,  remained  under  water 
during  the  space  of  five  minutes.  Whether  there  are 
any  such  at  the  present  day,  is  very  doubtful  ;  although 
it  must  be  confessed,  I  saw  no  evidence  that  would 
induce  the  belief  of  their  talent  being  in  any  degree 
diminished. 

On  the  2 1  St  we  saw  the  island  Mowee,  bearing  north 
by  east,  about  twelve  leagues  distant.  Our  course  to 
the  westward  was  attended  with  the  weather  which  is 
usual  in  the  trade-winds,  in  general  fine,  though  some- 
times interrupted  by  a  squall,  which  serves  to  rouse  the 
sailor  from  the  inactivity  which  a  long  course  of  such 
weather  is  apt  to  produce.  Willi  a  moderate  and  even 
sea  rolling  after,  and  helping  us  on  our  course,  and  with 

VOL.    I.  9 


98 


FIKST   VOYAGE. 


a  great  abuiKlanco  ami  variety  of  such  products  of  tlie 
vegetable  world  as  we  lind  long  been  desliltito  of,  we 
were  living  so  Uixuriotisly,  and  sailing  along  so  nnicli  at 
our  ease,  so  entirely  free  from  any  thing  like  labor  or 
fatigue,  that  our  men  appeared  to  consider  it  as  an 
ample  compensation  for  the  fatigue  and  exj)osure  of 
the  first  part  of  the  voyage. 

On  the  15th  of  August,  1799,  \vc  passed  between 
the  islands  Aguigan  and  Tinian,  and  very  near  to  the  lat- 
ter ;  but,  as  it  was  after  dark  when  we  were  nearest  it, 
we  had  not  an  oj)portunity  of  seeing  those  beauties,  which 
are  so  pleasingly  described  by  the  narrator  of  Lord  An- 
son's voyage,  as  well  as  by  more  recent  navigators. 
In  our  passage  between  these  and  the  Bashi  Islands,  we 
had  so  great  a  portion  of  westerly  winds,  that  we  did 
not  reach  the  latter  till  the  8ih  of  September,  having, 
during  that  period,  experienced  much  rainy,  squally, 
and  disagreeable  weather.  We  passed  the  Bashi  Islands 
in  the  night,  with  a  moderate  breeze  from  cast-south- 
east ;  and  the  following  night  we  were  among  tide-rips, 
which  caused  such  a  roar,  and  so  great  an  agitation  of 
the  water,  as  to  resemble  breakers. 

On  the  13th,  we  saw  the  east  end  of  the  (J rand 
Lema,  and,  at  three  o'clock  next  morning,  sailed  be- 
tween its  western  end  and  the  island  next  to  it  ;  and, 
passing  the  island  of  Lantao  at  dawn,  we  came  to  an- 
chor in  the  Typa  at  eleven  o'clock,  A.  M.  I  imme- 
diately went  ashore  and  made  report  to  the  Governor, 
'.r.gaged  a  pilot  to  come  on  board  in  the  morning,  and 
spent  an  hour  with  an  American  resident  supercar- 
go, wlio   gave   me    much    European    and  other  news. 

From  this  gentleman  I  learned,  that  the  ship  Ontario, 
with  her  cargo,  had   been  totally  lost  a  few  days  after 


.\nUIV.\I,  AT  CANTON. 


99 


leaving  Canton  for  New  York.  This  was  the  ship  in 
which  I  liad  been  so  eager  to  ctuhark.  1  had  come 
very  near  having  my  desire  gratified,  and  had  been  se- 
verely disappointed  when  1  found  tliat  the  phice  I  wish- 
efl  was  filled  by  another.  If  I  had  succeeded,  ruin 
must  have  been  the  consequence.  My  emotions  on 
hearing  this  news,  were  of  a  mingled  character  ;  while 
I  mourned  over  the  fate  of  a  worthy  friend,  I  was  Hlled 
with  gratitude  at  my  own  escape,  and  my  present  pros- 
perity ;  the  feelings  of  discontent  in  which  I  had  some- 
times indulged  were  rebuked  ;  f  was  taught  to  bear  dis- 
appointments with  jiatience  and  resignation,  as  we  can- 
not foresee  the  good  which  may  result  from  them  ;  and 
I  was  inspired  with  that  confidence  in  a  superintending 
Providence,  w  hich  aflbrds  rejiose  to  the  spirit  under  all 
the  trials  of  life. 

In  conformity  with  his  engagement,  the  pilot  came 
on  board  in  the  morning  as  soon  as  the  tide  served, 
when,  having  weighed  anchor,  we  beat  out  of  the  Typa 
and  passed  Macao  roads  with  a  moderate  breeze  at 
southeast,  which  continued  so  light  throughout  the  day 
that  we  did  not  reach  Anson's  bay  till  nearly  midnight. 
Here  we  anchored  till  the  tide  became  favorable,  when, 
proceeding  to  Wampoa,  we  arrived  there  and  anchored 
above  the  (leet  in  the  night  of  the  15th. 

Having,  the  next  day,  taken  a  boat  for  Canton,  I 
accepted  the  hospitality  of  one  of  my  countrymen  till  I 
could  procure  a  factory.  In  the  mean  timu,  I  gave  let- 
ters to  several  China  merchants,  directed  to  my  officer 
on  board,  to  permit  the  bearers  of  them  to  examine  the 
cargo.  I  engaged  the  factory  No.  1,  Nuequas  Hong, 
and  as  soon  as  it  was  furnished  moved  into  it.  On  the 
*6th  of  Sepienibcr,  having   had  various  ofi'ers   for  the 


100 


FrnsT  voYAon. 


cargo,  and  tlie  best  l)t'ing  tliiit  of  Niioqiia,  I  roiitiact- 
ed  with  liiiu  for  it  at  tlio  rale  of  tuoiity-lliree  dollars  a 
skin,  cash  ;  or  twenty-six  dollars  to  be  paid  in  produce, 
or  any  proportion  at  these  rates. 

This  contract  being  matle,  and  the  payment  to  bo 
prompt  on  delivery  of  the  cargo,  it  became  neces- 
sary to  determine,  without  delay,  what  course  it  was 
most  advisable  to  pursue  next.  The  cutter,  independ- 
ently of  the  objection  of  size,  being  a  foreign  bottom, 
could  not  take  a  cargo  to  the  United  States  without 
being  subjected  to  the  payment  of  such  increased  duties 
as  woidd  be  ecpial  to  the  amount  of  the  freight  of  an 
American  bottom.  To  return  again  to  the  Norihwest 
Coast  offered  a  prospect  as  promising  as  any  plan  which 
presented  itself  to  my  mind,  and  could  I  have  obtained 
an  orderly  crew,  niight  have  been  the  most  advisable. 
But  to  undertake  another  voyage  with  a  crew  com- 
posed of  such  men  as  I  had,  (and  none  beside  desert- 
ers from  other  ships  could  be  procured,)  was  little  bet- 
ter than  living  for  such  time  with  a  knife  at  my  throat  ; 
which,  at  any  unguarded  moment,  might  be  made  to 
close  the  scene.  The  small  size  of  the  vessel  was 
another  important  objection  ;  as,  besides  the  priva- 
tions inseparable  from  navigating  in  it,  there  xvus  an  in- 
creased danger  from  the  hostility  of  the  savages.  And 
as,  in  consequence,  a  greater  number  of  men  was  re- 
quired than  could  be  well  lodged  and  provisioned  for  so 
long  a  time,  this  tended  to  create  among  .licm  dissat- 
isfaction, sullenness,  and  finally  mutiny.  Besides  this, 
my  inclination  for  such  uncommon  exposure  and  fatigue, 
was  diminished  in  proportion  to  the  recent  increase  of 
my  fortune. 

From  these  considerations, —  and  not  entirely  uninflu- 


HALE  or  inn  cuttf.u. 


101 


cnced  hv  a  desire  of  visiting  the  cnpitul  of  British  Tiulia, 
I  ninde  an  arrangement  to  this  oircct,  by  disposing  of 
the  Ciitt(M-  to  Uoherl  1  Jerry,  I'lsq.,  and  a  cargo  of  leas 
and  otiier  articles  of  liis  selection,  to  the  amount  of 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  making  together  twenty-one 
thousand  dollars  ;  for  which  I  took  a  respondentia  bond 
with  a  preiniiun  about  equal  to  the  risk,  and  interest, 
payable  three  months  after  my  arrival  at  Calcutta.  In 
addition  to  this,  I  took  with  me  gold  bars  to  the  amount 
of  three  thousand  dollars. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  coming  to  this  decision,  my 
cargo  had  been  transported  to  Canton  and  delivered  to 
the  purchaser  ;  my  crew  had  been  paid  od",  and  a  new 
one  shipped  of  less  than  half  the  numbers  of  the  former 
voyage.  The  Cutter  again  became  the  Dragon  ;  hoist- 
ed Knglish  colors,  and  had  an  English  master  appointed 
to  her,  because  by  oiu'  treaty  with  Creat  IJritain  it  was 
not  permitted  w,  to  bring  a  cargo  from  China  to  Calcut- 
ta in  an  American  vessel. 

The  cargo  for  account  of  Mr.  B.  having  been  ship- 
ped, and  having  made  an  agreement  with  him  to  ship  to 
my  friends  in  the  United  Slates,  as  opportunities  for 
freighting  oflered,  the  remainder  of  the  proceeds  of 
my  cargo  of  furs,  I  proceeded  to  Wampoa  on  the  20th 
October,  1799  ;  where  finding  all  things  ready,  I  em- 
barked as  passenger,  and  the  next  day  weighed  anchor 
and  run  down  between  first  and  second  bar  ;  wliere  we 
received  our  sea  stock  from  the  Hoj)poo  man  ;  and  when 
the  tide  made  in  our  favor  took  advantage  of  it  as  far  as 
Anson's  Bay,  where  arriving  at  dark  and  having  appear- 
ances of  bad  weather,  we  came  to  anchor.  Towards 
the  latter  part  of  the  night,  the  wind  became  more  east- 
erly and  increased  with  rain  ;  and  at  daylight  it  blew 
9  * 


102 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


with  a  degree  of  violence  which  amounted  to  a  Typhon, 
and  which  it  seemed  as  if  nothing  hut  the  liills  were  ca- 
pahle  of  resisting.  Here,  our  good  fortune  was  again 
manifest  ;  for  if  we  had  been  ready  only  twelve  hours 
sooner,  we  must  have  encountered  this  gale  in  a  posi- 
tion that  would  have  rendered  our  chance  of  escaping 
shipwreck  very  small.  As  it  was,  while  riding  in  a 
smooth  bay,  the  wind  blowing  off  the  shore,  from  which 
we  lay  not  more  than  a  cable's  length,  we  parted  our 
cable,  and  brought  up  with  our  best  bower,  with  which 
we  rode  out  the  gale  in  safety.  The  23d  the  gale 
abated,  but  it  continued  all  day  very  rainy,  squally,  dis- 
agreeable weather  ;  we  therefore  lay  at  anchor,  and 
employed  some  Chinamen  to  get  the  anchor  from  which 
the  cable  had  parted,  in  which  they  succeeded  without 
much  difficulty,  brought  it  to  us,  and  received  their 
reward.     The  wind  generally  southeast. 

The  nexi  day  the  wind  was  light  and  baffling  ;  but 
in  the  night  came  round  to  the  northward,  witii  clear 
weather ;  and  on  the  25th  we  passed  Macao  roads,  where 
we  saw  two  large  English  ships,  one  of  which  iiad  lost 
all  her  topmasts,  doubtless  in  the  late  gale.  We  pass- 
ed near  to,  and  spoke  the  ship  Eliza,  Rowan,  who  had 
been  to  the  Spanish  coast  since  we  had  seen  him. 
With  a  strong  breeze  from  east-northeast,  we  steered 
to  the  southwest,  and,  at  dawning  of  the  28th,  were  near 
to  the  China  coast,  having  passed  in  sight  of  Pulo  Cam- 
pella.  In  the  course  of  the  following  night,  we  passed 
near  to  Pulo  Canton,  and  then  steered  south-southeast. 
The  coast  was  in  sight  most  of  the  day,  and  a  strong 
current  ii.  our  favor,  as  was  manifest  from  the  circum- 
stance of  making  one  hundred  ninety-three  miles  differ- 
ence of  latitude.     We  saw  the  high  land  abreast  Pulo 


MALAY  PIRATL5. 


103 


Cccir,  on  the  31st,  and  also  the  Island  Pulo  Cecir  de 
mar,  and,  at  the  same  time,  were  on  the  bank  of  Hol- 
land, a|)j>arenlly  in  no  very  deep  water.  The  next  day 
we  were  prevented  seeing  Pulo  Condor  by  reason  of  a 
hazy  atmosphere. 

On  the  3d  day  of  November  the  weather  was  very 
squally,  and  wind  variable.  In  the  night  sounded  sev- 
eral times  in  thirty  and  twenty-five  fathoms,  and,  at 
dawning,  saw  Pulo  Timoan.  We  entered  the  straits 
between  point  Romania  and  Piedra  Blanca  on  the  5th  ; 
after  which,  steered  west  by  south  for  St.  John's  Is- 
land, and,  having  i)assed  it,  we  took  the  wind  from 
west-southwest,  and  beat  through  the  narrows  between 
the  Rabbit  and  Coney  and  Red  Island.  We  continued 
to  work  to  the  westward,  with  the  wind  for  the  most 
part  from  that  quarter,  and  occasionally  anchoring  when 
the  current  was  against  us. 

While  at  anchor,  close  in  with  the  shore,  between 
mount  Formosa  and  mount  Moora,  we  saw  a  fleet  of 
eleven  INIalay  proas  pass  by  to  the  eastward,  from  whose 
view  we  supposed  ourselves  to  have  been  screened  by 
the  trees  and  bushes  near  to  which  we  were  lying.  On 
perceiving  so  great  a  number  of  large  proas  sailing  to- 
gether, we  had  scarcely  a  doubt  of  their  being  i)irates, 
and  therefore  immediately  loaded  our  gnns  and  prepared 
for  defence  ;  though  conscious  that  the  fearful  odds  in 
numbers  between  our  crew  of  ten  men  and  theirs,  which 
probably  exceeded  a  hundred  to  each  vessel,  left  us 
scarce  a  ray  of  hope  of  successful  resistance.  We 
watched  tiieir  progress,  therefore,  with  that  intense  in- 
terest which  men  may  naturally  be  supposed  to  feel, 
whose  fortune,  liberty,  and  life,  were  de|)endent  on  the 
mere  chance  of  their  passing  by  without  seeing  us.     To 


104 


FIRST    VOYAGE. 


our  great  joy,  they  did  so  ;  and  wlien  the  sails  of  the 
last  of  the  fleel  were  no  longer  discernible  from  deck, 
and  we  realized  the  certainty  of  escape,  our  feelings  of 
relief  were  in  proportion  to  the  danger  which  had 
threatened  us. 

Arriving  at  Malacca  on  the  1 1th,  the  curiosity  of  the 
people  was  greatly  excited  to  know  how  we  had  escap- 
ed the  fleet  of  pirates  which  had  been  seen  from  the 
town  ;  as  the  strait  to  the  eastward  is  so  narrow  that  it 
appeared  to  them  to  be  impossible  for  us  to  pass  with- 
out seeing  each  other  ;  and  when  informed  of  our  being 
screened  by  the  trees  from  their  sight,  they  ofTered  us 
their  hearty  and  reiterated  congratulations. 

Having  the  next  day  filled  up  our  water-casks,  and 
laid  in  a  supply  of  vegetables  and  fruit  suflicient  for  our 
consumption  till  our  arrival  at  Calcutta,  we  should  with- 
out further  delay  have  proceeded  on  our  voyage,  had 
the  prospect  l)een  favorable  ;  but  the  westerly  winds 
continued  to  blow  with  such  violence  for  several  days 
immediately  succeeding  our  arrival,  that  it  was  evi- 
dently the  part  of  wisdom  to  lay  at  anchor  till  their 
force  had  abated,  which  was  not  the  case  till  the 
14th,  when  there  was  less  wind  throughout  the  day.  In 
the  evening  the  land  breeze  came  off  strong,  and,  being 
all  ready  to  take  advantage  of  it,  we  weighed  anchor, 
made  sail,  and  stood  to  the  westward  on  a  wind  all  night  ; 
and,  at  dawning,  tacked  to  the  northward  and  came  in 
with  the  land  about  three  miles  east  of  Cape  llicardo. 

The  town  of  Malacca  is  situated  in  a  level  country 
near  the  sea,  and  is  defended  by  works  built  on  a  rocky 
foundation,  and  of  great  height.  It  was  taken  from  the 
Portuguese  by  the  Dutch  in  1610,  and  remained  in 
their  possession  till  taken  from  them  in  the  late  war  by 


1 


I'ULO   PINANG, 


105 


fi 


the  English,  who  held  it  at  the  time  I  was  there.  Its  in- 
habitants are  composed  of  Dutch,  Portuguese,  Knghsh, 
Chinese,  and  Malays.  The  trade  of  this  place  was 
very  much  diminished  in  conserpicnce,  principally,  of 
the  increasing  gro-.vth  of  the  Knglisii  settlement  at  Pulo 
Pinang.  The  revenue  arising  from  imports  and  ex- 
ports, was  this  year,  (1799,)  farmed  to  some  Chinese 
residents  for  fifty-two  thousand  dollars.  There  are 
several  very  pretty  country-seats  about  three  miles  from 
the  town  ;  and  the  country  generally  abounds  with  the 
cocoa-nut  tree.  Cut  its  latitude,  only  two  degrees 
north  of  the  equator,  deters  all  Europeans  from  making 
it  their  residence,  excepting  those  who  are  willing  to 
sacrifice  comfort  to  the  acquisition  of  wealth. 

While  proceeding  on  our  passage  to  the  westward 
we  were  frequently  obliged  to  anchor  in  deep  water  ; 
and  on  the  night  of  the  1  Gth,  while  lying  in  twenty-four 
fathoms,  a  squall  came  with  such  violence  as  to  part  our 
cable,  and  caused  the  loss  of  our  anchor  ;  a  circum- 
stance the  more  to  be  regretted  as  we  had  but  one 
more,  and  had  yet  a  pros[)ect  before  us  of  frequent  an- 
choring. On  the  19th  and  20th  the  Island  of  Pulo 
Pinang  was  in  sight,  the  wind  light  from  northwest. 
As  the  winds  din'ing  the  daytime  were  very  light  and 
variable,  we  made  but  slow  progress  in  getting  to  the 
north,  and  e\  en  this  only  by  keeping  close  in  with  the 
shore,  and  taking  advantage  of  the  land  breeze,  which 
came  ofF  icgularly,  and  generally  in  squalls  of  rain,  thun- 
der, and  lightning.  In  the  five  days  between  the  22d 
and  27lh,  wo  had  made  only  three  degrees  dillercnce  of 
latitude,  having  passed,  in  the  time,  near  a  great  many 
islands. 

On  the  3d  December  wo  saw  Diamond   Island,  after 


106 


FIRST   VOVAGE. 


passing  which  we   had  the  regular  northeast  monsoon. 
The  two  succeeding  days  we  were  in  sight  of  the  island 
Cheduha,  and  the  coast  of  Ava.     Being  now  in  latitude 
19^  north,  we  steered   to   the  northwest  with   tlie  wind 
free,  and  on   the  lOlh  anchored  in  fifteen  fathoms  near 
the  sand   heads,  it  being  calm.      The  next  morning  at 
daylight  a  number  of  vessels  were  near  us,  from  one  of 
which  we  procured  a  pilot,  who  informed  us,   that  the 
large  ships  then  near  to  us  were  the  Lord  Hawkesbury 
and  a  Portuguese  ship  bound  in,  the  latter  of  which  had 
had  an  engagement,  and   beaten  ofl'  a  French  privateer 
of  eighteen  guns  the  day  before,  and  that  the  Company's 
cruiser  Nonsuch,  had  gone  in  pursuit  of  her.      Another 
fortunate  escape  ;  as,  arriving  one  day  earlier,  we  should 
have  fallen  into  the   hands  of  this  privateer,  and,  being 
under  English  colors,  the   property  would   have  been  a 
total  loss.     In  the  night  we  came  to  anchor   near  the 
shipping  in  Saugur  roads  ;  the  next  day  we  got  as  far  as 
Cudjerce  ;  the   day  following  to  Fulta ;  and  on  the  13th 
of  December,  1799,  arrived  safely  a*  Calcutta. 


II 


IllIU;    .\    HOUSE    IN   CAI.CI TTA. 


lo: 


/' 


CHAPTER    \*  1 1 1 . 

Captain  Lay.  —  Take  a  House.  —  Servants.  —  George  pressed.  —  Ap- 
plication for  liis  Release  to  Town  Major  and  to  the  Chief  of  I'olice. 

—  Unsuccessful.  —  To  Lord  Morninglon.  —  CJeorge  restored  — 
His  Gratitude.  —  American  Coinnu-rce.  —  I'uv  a  Boat.  —  Danish 
Flag.  —  Deer  Hunt  by  Tiyers.  —  Observations  on  Calcutta.  —  .Sail 
f  )r  Isle  of  France.  —  Culpu.  —  Danger   in   ])assing  the  Barabulla. 

—  Arrival  at  Isle  of  France. 

Here  I  met  ngain  my  worthy  friend  Captain  Lay, 
of  whom  I  hoiight  the  Cntter,  and  of  whose  kind  hos[)i- 
tahty  Captain  Hassell  and  myself  availed  ourselves  till 
we  could  procure  and  prepare  a  house.  For  a  hotel, 
or  a  piihlic  hoarding-house,  was  a  thing  unknown  in 
this  country. 

Having  ascertained  from  the  consignee  of  the  Cutter, 
that  the  cargo  hcing  of  dull  sale,  there  was  no  prospect 
of  his  hoing  ahle  to  pay  the  amount  of  the  respondentia 
hond  hefore  the  expiration  of  the  time  specified  therein, 
it  was  olnious  that  I  had  a  detention  of  three  months  he- 
fore  me,  unless  I  shoidd  find  it  advantageous  to  lay  in  an 
investment  for  the  United  States,  and  could  make  an 
arrangement  for  its  payment  when  the  hond  hccame 
due.  I  therefore  sought  a  house  distant  from  the  husi- 
ness  part  of  the  town,  and  where  the  rent  woidd  he  pro- 
portionally low.  Such  a  one  I  foinid  in  the  Bow  liazaar, 
had  it  furnished  in  the  most  economical  style,  and  took 
possession  on  the  ISth  of  J)eceml)er.  The  midtilude  of 
servants,  which  custom  re(piired  for  the  estahlishtnent  of 


..  / 


108 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


those  cvon,  who  were  desirous  of  living  in  tlic  most 
frugal  manner,  was  alarming.  INIinc,  including  palan- 
quin-bearers, cooks,  stewards,  and  waiters,  amounted 
to  eight,  exclusive  of  my  black  man,  George  ;  a  number 
that  seems  to  be  enough  to  ruin  a  man  of  small  fortune, 
till  it  is  considered  how  very  small  is  their  |)ay,  and 
how  little  their  food  costs  com})ared  with  ours. 

Being  thus  established,  and  my  mind  made  up  for 
a  state  of  inactivity  for  the  next  three  months,  I 
was  the  better  able  to  enjoy  the  relaxation  from  the 
sense  of  its  being  unavoidable.  I  rambled  about  the 
town  in  the  morning  before  the  heat  became  oppres- 
sive ;  books  afforded  a  resource  during  the  day  ;  and 
towards  evening  1  was  taken  in  my  palanqiiin  to  the 
river's  side,  where,  alighting,  I  walked  on  the  Espla- 
nade to  Fort  William,  and  was  charmed  with  the  music 
of  a  fine  military  band,  which  played  there  every  even- 
ing. In  this  way,  with  little  variation,  the  first  ten 
days  of  my  residence  in  Calcutta  were  passed.  Nor 
had  I  any  idea,  that  the  remainder  of  my  term  there 
would  not  slide  away  in  the  same  even  course.  For 
I  did  not  conceive,  that  there  was  a  chance  of  my 
coming  in  colhsion  with  any  one,  much  less  with  the 
municij)al  authorities  of  the  place. 

I5ut  from  this  state  of  quiet  I  was  one  day  roused 
by  the  entrance  of  one  of  the  messengers  of  the  police 
oflice,  who  informed  me,  that  a  black  man,  who  said  he 
was  in  my  service,  had  been  taken  h\)  as  a  sailor,  and 
that  I.  must  appear  directly  at  the  oflice,  and  state  my 
claim  to  him,  or  he  would  be  sent  on  board  ship.  In- 
stead of  attending  this  sunnnons  in  person,  I  sent,  by 
the  same  messenger,  a  note,  slating  that  the  black  man 
in   question  was  my  servant,  and   begged   he   might   be 


»      "! 


ji 


IMPUESSMK.NT   OF  GEORGE, 


109 


'  :'' 


my 
the 


released  fortliwitli.  This  proceeding  was  probably  con- 
sidered to  be  disresj)ectful,  as  it  was  of  nc  avail. 
George's  absence  continuing,  1  went  in  the  afternoon 
in  pursuit,  and  found,  on  inquiry,  that  he  had  been 
put  into  the  custody  of  the  town  major,  who  resided 
in  Fort  William,  in  order  to  be  sent,  with  others  who 
had  been  pressed,  on  board  an  Indiaman  lying  in  the 
river  below.  It  was  evening  before  I  could  find  this 
officer,  whom  I  begged  to  suspend  sending  George 
with  the  others  till  I  could  see  the  magistrate  and  ob- 
tain his  release.  But  he  told  me  his  orders  were  per- 
emptory, and  that  he  should  be  obliged  to  send  him 
away  as  soon  as  the  tide  was  favorable,  to  be  put  on 
board  the  Sir  Stephen  Lushington. 

I  now  almost  despaired  of  ever  again  seeing  my  trusty 
man,  whose  fidelity  had  been  so  thoroughly  proved, 
and  for  whose  situation  I  felt  the  greatest  sympathy, 
not  unmingled  with  remorse  at  not  having  gone  to  the 
office  in  person  to  claim  him.  So  entirely  did  this  sub- 
ject absorb  my  mind,  that  I  was  dreaming  of  it  all  night. 
The  next  day,  being  Christmas,  the  police  office  was 
closed.  I  therefore  went,  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  to  the  dwelling  of  the  magistrate,  who, 
I  was  informed,  had  just  gone  out  to  call  on  the  Captain 
of  the  Indiaman,  on  board  which  George  had  been  sent. 
I  hastened  to  the  house  where  they  were,  and  was  in- 
troduced by  a  servant  in  livery  into  a  spacious  apartment, 
where  were  the  two  gentlemen,  ap]iarently  on  the  point 
of  going  to  church. 

His  Worship  was  a  portly,  good-looking  man,  of 
about  sixty,  dressed  in  a  full  suit  of  black,  with  a  pow- 
dered wig.  On  my  entering  the  room,  both  gentlemen 
rose   and  advanced  towards  me,  when,  addressing  my- 

vor,.   I.  10 


,JS 


110 


FIRST   VOYAOE. 


self  to  the  Justice  witli  the  liurnilify  of  a  person  who  Is 
going  to  ask  a  very  great  favor  of  a  man  so  very  great, 
that  he  had  only  to  nod  and  it  is  granted,  1  made 
known  my  business.  He  replied  by  inrpiiring,  in  a 
tone  which  indicated  a  sense  of  the  advantage  he  had 
over  me,  why  I  had  not  appeared  at  the  oflicc,  when 
sent  for,  to  claim  the  man.  I  told  him,  that,  being 
engaged  at  the  lime,  I  supposed  my  certificate  would 
have  been  sufficient  to  insure  his  release.  "  No,"  he 
said,  "  it  was  not,"  and  added,  in  a  tone  and  manner 
which  was  any  thing  but  rcspectfid,  "  the  fellow  whom 
you  call  your  servant  I  believe  to  be  a  good  sailor  ; 
as  such  I  have  sent  him  on  board  shij),  and  shall  give 
no  directions  for  his  emancipation." 

Indignant  at  such  treatment,  I  rcj)licd  in  a  tone  of 
which  he  had  set  the  example,  *•'  Such  jjroceeding, 
Sir,  is  very  extraordinary.  1  doubt  its  being  sanc- 
tioned by  Lord  JMorninglon.  And  why  cannot  you 
take  me,  and  send  me  on  board  ship,  with  the  same 
propriety  you  do  my  servant  ?  "  Such  a  question,  in 
such  a  tone,  from  so  young  a  man,  and  one  whose  de- 
meanor had  been  so  meek,  was  evidently  unexpected, 
and  seemed  to  rouse  the  wrath  of  his  Worshi|)  to  the 
highest  pitch.  His  face  became  like  scarlet.  He 
seized  bold  of  his  newly-powdered  wig,  and  pulled  it 
over  one  ear,  made  a  complete  revolution  on  his  heel, 
and,  with  fire  flashing  in  bis  eyes,  stamped  on  the  floor, 
and  in  a  stentorian  voice  demanded,  "  And  who  are 
you,  Sir  ?  "  (At  this  time  I  observed,  that  the  other 
gentleman,  not  being  able  to  suppress  his  laughter,  had 
turned  away.)  1  replied,  "  1  am  an  American  citizen. 
Sir,  and  one  who  is  not  iniacquainted  with  what  is  due 
to   that  character."     ''  Well,  where  do  you  live,  Sir,, 


€ 


i 


RELE.APE   OF  r.EOK(;K. 


Ill 


} 


I 


—  your  name,  —  your  address  ?  "  taking  out  his  paper 
and  pencil,  and  writing  in  a  Inn-ricd  and  ngitatcd  man- 
ner ;  and  then  ohser\e(l,  "  I  shall  send  for  yon  to- 
morrow. Sir."  1  told  him  I  should  not  let  the  husiness 
rest  till  tomorrow,  made  my  how,  and  left  him. 

It  was  now  very  c\  idetit,  that  J  must  procure  the  in- 
terference of  superior  anthoril}-,  or  1  might  not  only 
lose  George,  hut  he  suhjerted  to  some  annoyance  my- 
self. I  therefore  went  home,  and  immediately  set 
ahout  writing  a  letter  to  tiic  (Jovernor-Ciencral.  The 
facts  1  had  to  state  were  very  simple  and  clear  ;  the 
oppression  of  whit  h  I  had  tu  complain  I  was  satisfied 
could  not  be  countenanced  ;  and  I  therefore  felt  a  con- 
fidence in  a  happy  result.  As  soon  as  my  letter  was 
wiitten,  I  went  with  it  myself  to  the  palace,  and  deliv- 
ered it  to  the  Secretary  of  his  Excellency,  who,  on  as- 
certaining its  contents,  assured  tne,  that  inmiediate  atten- 
tion shoidd  be  paid  to  it.  Nor  could  there  have  been 
any  delay  in  fulfilling  this  promise  by  sending  the  same 
night  to  the  ship,  whiili  lay  several  miles  below  ;  as, 
before  ten  o'clock  next  nwrning,  (Jeorge  made  his  a])- 
pearance  at  my  house,  accompanied  by  an  orderly  ser- 
geant, who  had  been  sent  to  conduct  him  to  me. 

As  1  heard  nothing  fiuther  from  the  magistrate,  1 
concluded  that  he  received  a  word  of  advice  from  high 
authority,  by  which  others  of  my  countrymen  may  have 
escaped  a  similar  annoyance.  Never  was  joy  more 
clearly  depicted  in  any  countenance  tiian  in  deorge's 
when  he  met  me.  He  sliowed  his  white  teeth,  and 
making  an  efl'ort  to  express  his  gratitude,  exclaimed, 
"  ()  massa,  a  tousaiid  tanks,  a  tousand  taidvs,  (ieorge 
be  glad  to  sarve  you  he  lifetime."  This  joy  was  in- 
deed  reciprocal  ;  for,  if  from   no  other  cause,  we  had 


112 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


passed  together  tlirougii  too  many  trying  scenes  not  to 
have  excited  in  me  the  greatest  sympathy  for  his  de- 
tention, and  no  less  pieasme  at  liis  release. 

The  commerce  of  liie  United  Stales  with  Calcutta 
at  that  period  was  very  difi'erent  from  what  it  is  at  pres- 
ent. During  the  three  montiis  of  my  residence  there, 
no  less  than  twelve  ships  were  laden  with  the  produce 
and  manufactures  of  Ilindostan  for  the  United  States, 
whose  cargoes  would  average  ahout  two  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  each.  This  demand  for  manufactures,  for 
which  the  purchasers  preferred  to  pay  an  increased 
price  rather  ihan  to  keep  their  ships  waiting,  had  a  ten- 
dency, in  the  course  of  two  months,  to  raise  the  jjrices 
twenty  per  cent,  and  entirely  discouraged  my  thinking 
of  an  investment  for  the  United  States.  Nor  could  I 
reconcile  to  myself  a  longer  period  of  inactivity  than 
that  limited  by  the  receipt  of  the  amount  of  the  re- 
spondentia bond,  especially  as  the  sultry  and  unhealtliy 
season  was  advancing. 

While  in  doubt  what  course  to  pursue,  the  Jsle  of 
France  was  suggested,  among  other  plans,  as  od'ering 
a  fair  field  for  speculation.  The  great  success  of  the 
privateers  from  that  place  led  to  the  inference,  that 
prize  ships  and  prize  goods  would  be  procurable  there  at 
very  low  rates.  And  as  the  Danes,  at  this  time,  were 
the  only  European  neutrals,  a  cargo  could  be  trans- 
ported from  thence  to  Trancpiebar,  under  the  Danish 
flag,  in  safety,  and  with  great  profit.  But,  how  to  get 
to  the  Isle  of  France  ?  this  was  a  difliculty  of  no  trifling 
magnitude.  There  was  no  vessel  going  in  which  I 
could  take  passage.  To  purchase  one  to  go  to  a  jilace 
where  I  supposed  them  to  be  so  abundant  and  cheap, 
would   be    "  carrying   coals   to   jNewcastle  "  ;   besides 


1 


1 


puncriASE  OF  a  boat. 


113 


i 


1 


vvliich  it  would  Iinve  been  difliciilt,  in  a  vossol  of  mode- 
rate size,  to  csrape  the  vigilanrn  of  the  Hcngal  govern- 
ment, who  wore  deeidedly  hostile  to  all  intercourse 
with  the  Isle  of  France. 

I  determined,  therefore,  to  |)roeine  a  boat  of  a  si/e 
so  diminutive  as  to  eltidc  observation,  and,  at  ihe  same 
time,  of  so  liltle  value,  that  much  could  not  he  lost  on 
a  resale.  Such  a  one  I  foinid  at  Calcutta,  nearly  fin- 
ished, of  about  tweuly-five  tons,  which  I  soon  made  a 
bargain  for,  to  be  completed  immediately,  to  ho  rigged 
as  a  pilot  boat,  with  mainsail,  foresail,  and  jib  ;  to  be 
coppered  to  the  bonds,  and  to  be  delivered,  as  soon  as 
possible,  at  the  Danish  settlement  of  Serampore  ;  for 
which  I  engaged  to  pay  five;  thousand  rupees.  The 
contract  being  in  due  time  fidrdied  by  the  delivery  of 
the  vessel  at  Serampore,  I  there  got  her  j)ut  under  the 
Danish  flag  ;  and  a  cargo  of  oil,  wax,  ghie,  &c.  pur- 
chased to  the  amount  of  five  thousand  rupees,  of  suf- 
ficient weight  oidy  to  put  her  in  good  ballast  trim.  As 
the  Americans,  at  this  tiu)e,  had  a  kind  of  pseudo  war 
with  the  French,  it  was  ailvisahle  to  neglect  no  precau- 
tion in  guarding  against  embarrassments  that  might  arise 
on  tills  account  ;  and  I  therefore  became  a  burgher  of 
the  Danish  settlement  of  Seram|)ore. 

While  these  transactions  were  in  progress,  the  time 
had  come  round  for  the  payment  of  the  bond  ;  the 
amount  of  which  was  forthcoming  at  the  moment.  I 
had  now  passed  three  months  in  the  city  of  Calcutta, 
having  made  during  the  time  no  other  excursion  than 
one  to  Serampore,  and  another  to  the  botanic  garden. 
The  former  makes  a  very  pleasing  appearance  along  the 
margin  of  the  river.  To  the  extent  of  nearly  a  mile, 
10* 


114 


FIUST  VOYAGE. 


well-built  houses,  neatly  wliilc-waslied,  give  it  the  a|)- 
pearance  of  being  hirgci  than  it  really  is  as  the  town  is 
of  very  liniited  extent  back  from  the  river.  The  bo- 
tanic garden  is  j)leasanlly  situated  on  a  bentl  of  the 
Hoogly  called  Ciarden  reach,  but  it  was  not  neatly 
kept.  No  temperature  can  be  more  delightful  than  that 
of  Calcutta  during  the  months  of  JJecember,  January, 
and  February.  It  is  very  dry  and  healthful  ;  and  the 
nights  I  found  to  be  invariably  cool  and  comfortable, 
though  there  is  always  a  necessity  for  the  use  of  mos- 
quito curtains. 

Dming  my  residence  at  Culcutta,  I  witnessed  an 
amusement  which,  1  believe,  is  peculiar  to  India,  the 
chase  of  deer  by  tigers.  The  arena  occupied  a  space 
of  more  than  a  hundred  acres,  the  borders  of  which 
were  lined  with  mounted  dragoons  to  guard  against 
mischief  from  the  tigers.  The  tigers  had  a  blind  of 
leather  over  their  eyes,  were  led  by  a  string  held  by 
their  black  keepers,  and  appeared  to  be  under  perfect 
control.  Th  cyhad  belonged  to  Tippoo  Saib,  and  were 
much  smaller  than  the  royal  tiger.  Whih?  one  of  them 
was  held  by  his  keeper  at  one  end  of  thc!  field,  the 
deer  was  let  loose  in  the  centre.  At  thi  moment,  the 
blind  being  removed  from  the  eyes  of  the  tiger,  he  dart- 
ed forward  with  inconceivable  velocity  ;  and  although 
the  deer  put  forth  all  his  strength  to  escape,  the  tiger 
had  caught  him  before  he  had  reached  the  other  ex- 
tremity of  the  field.  It  was  a  cruel  sport  ;  and  I  did 
not  wait  to  see  a  repetition,  or  how  the  tigers  were 
again  brought  under  control. 

But  the  English  resident  of  Calcutta  seems  to  think 
less  of  the  amusements  which  are  peculiar  to  Europe, 


CALCUTTA. 


115 


than  of  iiidiilf^iug  hiinseir  in  the  utmost  refinement  of 
luxury,  vvliicli  the  combined  ingenuity  of  European  and 
Asiatic  epicures  can  invent.  Tlic  muUitude  of  ser- 
vants, which  custom  seems  to  have  rendered  necessary 
to  the  man  of  fortune,  and  to  which  lie  becomes  fa- 
miliarized by  habit,  commonly  unfits  him  for  a  residence 
in  Europe  afterwards.  His  durvan,  peons,  circars, 
chubdars,  harcarcahs,  huccabadar,  jemmadar,  and  con- 
sumas,  form  a  list  of  obsequious  beings,  each,  at  the 
master's  nod,  ready  to  perform  the  duty  peculiar  to  his 
oflice  with  a  cheerfulness  and  alacrity,  such  as  a  despot 
does  not  always  receive  from  his  slave.  He  is  dressed 
and  undressed,  washed,  shaved,  and  combed,  without 
any  effort  of  his  own,  and  precisely  as  if  he  were  in- 
capable of  any  exertion. 

The  dinner  hour  is  usually  after  sunset ;  and  con- 
vivial parties  seldom  retire  before  midnight.  Over  the 
dinner  table  is  hung  an  immense  fan,  extending  the 
whole  length  of  the  table  ;  and  this  being  put  in  mo- 
tion by  strings  attached  to  it,  pulled  by  servants  in 
adjoining  rooms,  there  is  always  a  breeze  to  counteract 
the  efl'ect  of  hot  soups  and  meats  in  a  hot  climate. 
There  is  a  great  variety  of  fruits  peculiar  to  the  climate, 
of  fine  quality  and  very  abundant  and  cheap. 

At  the  period  of  my  residence  in  Calcutta  there  were 
no  buildings,  public  or  private,  which  would  be  re- 
marked by  a  stranger  for  their  architectural  beauty 
or  magnificence,  or  as  conforming  to  the  generally  re- 
ceived idea  of  the  splendor  of  the  British  capitol  of 
India.  But  any  defect  in  this  respect  was  amj)ly  com- 
pensated for  by  the  magnitude,  the  strength,  the  beauty, 
and    extraordinary  neatness    of  Fort    William.       The 


% 


116 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


complete  and  elegant  finish  vvliicli  has  been  given  to  it 
afibrds  proof  of  the  command  of  ample  means.  The 
cost  is  said  to  have  been  two  millions  sterling.  Of  tiiis 
fort,  and  the  fine  military  band  which  played  every  even- 
ing, I  retain  the  most  lively  and  pleasing  recollections  ; 
and  not  less  so,  of  the  civility  of  several  ofllcers  of  the 
garrison.  Very  few  evenings  passed  that  1  was  not 
present,  and  never  failed  to  be  equally  delighted  with 
the  order,  discipline,  extreme  neatness,  and  soldier-like 
appearance  of  the  troops,  as  well  as  the  performers, 
and  with  those  sweet  sounds,  which  seemed  to  remain 
vibrating  on  the  ear  long  after  they  had  in  reality  ceased. 

The  horrid  tragedy  of  the  Black  hole  of  Calcutta  has 
given  to  it  such  droadfid  notoriety  as  will  make  the 
event  familiar  to  ages  yet  unborn.  Over  the  spot  on 
which  it  occurred  is  erected  an  obelisk,  which  already 
gives  indications,  that  it  is  not  long  destined  to  perpetu- 
ate the  sad  story  for  which  it  was  erected. 

The  black  town,  as  it  is  called  from  being  exclusively 
inhabited  by  natives,  extends  to  the  north  of  the  other. 
The  buildings  are  composed  of  very  frail  materials,  mud 
walls,  mats,  and  bamboos  ;  and  the  streets  being  nar- 
row, conflagrations  are  frc(]uent  and  extensive.  The 
natives  of  Hindostan  are  remarked  for  an  amiability  of 
disposition,  an  evenness  of  tem|)er,  and  habits  of  regu- 
larity and  docility,  which  render  them  invaluable  as 
domestics,  and  1  have  been  assured  they  are  not  less 
remarkable  for  their  fidelity  and  honesty.  But  the  most 
striking  feature  in  the  character  of  these  people  is  their 
veneration  for  the  customs  and  institutions  of  their  an- 
cestors. Their  food,  their  dres.i,  their  processions,  and 
marriages,  are  all  under  the  jurisdiction  of  religion.     It 


?C 


DEPARTURE  FROM  CALCUTTA. 


117 


prescribes  rules  of  conduct  under  all  circumstances,  and 
there  is  scarcely  any  tiling,  liowever  trifling,  which  it 
treats  with  indil}'orcnce.  Many  of  the  native  merchants 
possess  large  fortunes,  and  some  of  them  have  apart- 
ments fitted  up  in  the  European  style,  and  live  at  a  cor- 
responding expense. 

On  the  18th  of  March  1  saw  my  boat  pass  by  Calcut- 
ta, which,  in  conformity  with  previous  arrangements,  was 
to  wait  for  me  above  Fulta.  As  no  notice  was  taken 
of  her  by  the  English  authorities  when  she  passed,  I  felt 
secure  from  any  interruption  from  that  quarter.  The 
next  day,  with  the  balance  of  my  funds  in  bills  and  gold 
niohurs,  I  proceeded  in  a  native  boat,  accompanied  by 
my  man  George,  to  join  the  vessel.  In  conformity 
with  an  understanding  with  the  ostensible  owner,  I 
found  her  manned  with  a  Danish  captain  and  mate  and 
four  lascar  seamen  ;  and  myself  and  servant  embarked 
in  the  quality  of  passengers.  Soon  after  joining  the 
vessel,  as  the  tide  was  favorable,  we  proceeded  on  our 
course  and  came  to  anchor  at  Fulta,  in  order  to  pur- 
chase a  suj)ply  of  fowls,  &c.,  but  found  iheir  stock  to 
have  been  exhausted  by  sales  niade  to  vessels  which 
had  preceded  us. 

The  next  night  we  had  very  heavy  squalls  from  the 
westward,  accompanied  with  much  thunder  and  light- 
ning, and  were  compelled  by  their  violence  to  let  go 
a  second  anchor.  The  succeeding  day  the  weather 
became  pleasant,  but,  the  wind  being  against  us,  we 
turned  down  with  the  ebb  as  far  as  Culpee,  where 
we  anchored  for  the  night,  and  the  next  morning  went 
ashore  and  purchased  a  stock  of  ducks,  fowls,  fruit, 
&c.,  sufiicient  for  the  passage.     The  next  ebb  carried 


118 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


US  to  Cudgoree,  where,  in  consequence  of  a  gale  from 
tlie  south,  we  lay  at  anchor  the  two  succeeding  days  ; 
nor,  with  so  much  wind,  could  we  have  j)roc(!edod  if  we 
had  desired,  as,  in  the  hurry  for  despatch,  the  sail-maker 
had  neglected  to  put  in  any  greenimits  for  reefing  ;  and 
all  on  board  who  could  handle  a  needle  were  set  about 
this  business. 

On  the  2;ith  the  weather  became  settled,  and  when 
we  had  arrived  opposite  Tngerby,  the  black  pilot,  who 
had  conducted  the  vessel  from  Serampore,  left  us,  hav- 
ing previously  given  us  directions  how  to  steer.  The 
tide  was  now  strong  and  running  with  a  velocity  which 
is  peculiar  to  this  river,  when  we  suddenly  and  unex- 
pectedly found  ourselves  in  only  seven  feet  water,  hav- 
ing, as  we  supposed,  mistaken  the  direction  of  the  pilot 
and  taken  the  wrong  side  of  the  buoy  on  the  little  Bar- 
abulla.  We  had  scarcely  time  to  reflect  on  the  conse- 
quences of  touching,  before  we  had  passed  over  the 
shoal  and  were  again  in  deep  water.  \Vheii  the  tide 
had  ceased  to  be  favorable  we  anchored,  and  again  pur- 
sued our  course  when  it  set  out,  and,  in  the  evening  of 
the  2Sth,  we  anchored  in  Balasore  roads,  and  lay  be- 
calmed during  the  night. 

Karly  the  following  morning  we  hauled  up  our  an- 
ciior,  and,  with  a  brisk  breeze  from  south-southwest, 
stood  out  on  a  wiiul  to  the  southeast.  While  passing 
out  of  the  liay  of  Bengal,  we  liiul  very  variable  winds, 
and  generally  good  weather  ;  nor,  indeed,  had  we  any 
occurrence  during  the  j)assage  worthy  of  remark.  Tiio 
boat,  which  was  named  the  Maria,  was  quite  as  uncom- 
fortable as  I  had  anticipated,  and  this,  not  so  much  from 
its  contracted  size,  as  from  the  scorchina;  effects  of  the 


si 
fr 
w 
t\\ 
dii 
!■ 


I 


.\nUIV.\L  AT  THE  ISLE   OF  FKAXCE. 


119 


sun,  wliich  was  most  of  the  passage  nearly  vertical,  and 
from  the  rain  ;  for  our  only  retreat  was  of  a  kind  that 
would  not  be  considered  by  every  one  the  least  of  the 
two  evils.  In  this  contined  state  we  passed  forty-five 
days  before  we  arrived  at  the  Isle  of  France,  on  the 
Hth  of  Mav. 


--i; 


120 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


C  H  A  i    .  E  R    IX. 

Good  Fortune.  —  Visit  the  Governor.  —  Mis  Civility.  —  William 
Slialer.  —  Dinner  at  tlie  Governor's.  —  Sell  the  Vessel  and  Car- 
go.—  Isle  of  Bourbon. —  St.  Dennis. — St.  Paul's.  —  Hiviero 
d'Aborde.  —  Mr.  Kairac.  —  Dinner  Party.  —  Pass  near  the  Vol- 
cano.—  St.  Benoit. —  Return  to  St.  Dennis. —  Return  to  Isle  of 
France.  —  Death  of  the  (iovernor.  —  Honors  to  his  Memory.  — 
Entry  of  a  Hamburgh  Ship.  —  Cutout  by  Enirlish  Boats.  —  Tur- 
chase  Coffee.  —  Coniiancc  and  Kent.  —  Mode  of  Capture.  — 
Bravery  and  Generoi^it}'  of  Surcouffe. —  I5rig  Traveller.  —  A 
Duel.  —  Kent  sold.  —  Freight  her.  —  Naturaliste  and   Geogrnphe. 


It  was  fortunate  for  us,  tliat  wo  escaped  those  gales, 
which  are  very  common  to  windward  of  the  Isle  of 
France  during  tlie  hurricane  niontiis,  and  which  coidd 
scarcely  have  failed  to  jnit  us  and  our  speculations  at 
rest  together.  The  atlenii)ling  such  a  passage  in  such 
a  vessel  was  certainly  imprudent.  It  was  not  so  much 
owing  to  ignorance  of  the  risk,  as  to  that  impatience, 
which  would  not  permit  ordinary  difllcullies  to  interfere 
with,  or  ohstruct  the  pursuit  of,  a  favorite  ohject. 

If  tlie  vessel,  in  which  I  arrived  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  created  surprise  in  the  inhaltitants,  this, 
of  little  more  than  half  the  size,  could  not  fail  to  excite 
the  curiosity  and  wonder  of  the  ])eoplc  of  the  Isle  of 
France.  Consequently,  a  great  crowd  asscmhled  on 
the  quay  to  see  a  vessel  approaching  it,  which,  uidike 
all  others  that  entered  the  port,  did  not  anchor,  but  was 


VISIT   TilE   GOVERNOU. 


121 


of 

his, 

xcitc 

.1.!    of 

on 
iiilikc 
t  was 


I 

■ 

I 

! 


conducted  by  the  pilot  directly  to  the  landing  for  boats. 
Exclamations  of  astonishment  were  interchanged  by 
those  collected  near  the  boat,  when  it  was  understood 
by  them  where  we  were  from.  Some  remarked  on  the 
hazard  of  such  an  undertaking  ;  others  on  the  apparent 
absence  of  all  comfort  ;  and  others  were  earnest  to 
know  if  we  had  experienced  any  bad  weather,  and  ex- 
pressing a  belief,  that  we  could  not  have  survived  one 
of  those  gales  which  are  common  in  this  vicinity  at  this 
season  of  the  year. 

Wliile  accompanying  the  linguist  to  the  Governor's 
and  the  Intendant's,  the  multitude  walked  up  near  us  ; 
and,  as  no  one  suspected  that  1  understood  the  French 
language,  I  heard  such  remarks  as,  "  This  gentleman 
has  nothing  like  a  Dane  in  his  appearance."  "  No," 
was  tiie  reply,  "  he  looks  like  a  Cheechee  "  ;  and  in 
truth,  I  had  become  so  burnt  by  such  long  and  great 
exposure,  that  it  was  not  surprising  I  should  he  taken 
for  a  native  of  India.  Then  the  object  of  my  xoyage 
was  discussed.  One  remarked,  that  he  thought  1  must 
have  other  views  than  those  which  ai)peare(i  in  the 
disposal  of  so  trifling  a  cargo.  Perhaps  I  was  in  pur- 
suit of  prize  shij)s.  "  Then  mine  would  suit  his  j)ur- 
pose,"  was  the  reply.  tSuch  were  some  of  the  obser- 
vations and  conjectures  which  I  heard  while  on  my  way 
to  the  (lovernor's,  ami  which  were  proofs  of  the  same 
inquisitiveness,  activity,  and  energy,  which  I  had  ob- 
served in  this  people  in  a  residence  of  six  months 
among  them,  more  than  six  years  before. 

On  being  introduced  to  the  (Governor  (General  Ma- 
lartie),  he  received  me  with  that  urbanity  which  is  a 
peculiar  characteristic  of  the  French,  and  which,  ban- 
ishing restraint,  places  a  stranger  at  once  on  a  footing 

VOL.    I.  11 


122 


FIRST  VUVAIiK. 


of  faiiiiliarily.  When  I  had  replied  to  his  vaiious  qtios- 
tions  relative  to  the  news  (Voni  India,  and  to  the  vessels 
I  had  seen  on  my  |)assage,  he  remarked  on  the  pecu- 
liarity of  my  enterprise  ;  how  hazardous  he  considered 
it  ;  how  out  of  pro|)ortioii  to  the  risk  he  considered  any 
profit  that  could  be  made  on  such  a  cargo  ;  though,  he 
remarked,  it  was  much  wanted.  He  ho|)ed  [  should 
sell  it  well,  and  facetiously  observed,  that  when  re- 
port was  made  to  him  of  the  size  of  the  vessel,  he 
had  sent  orders  to  the  Captain  of  the  ])ort  to  see  that 
room  sufficient  was  made  to  admit  licr  entrance.  On 
taking  leave  he  invited  me  to  dine  with  him  the  next 
day. 

Having  made  a  like  visit  of  ceremony,  but  of  less 
duration,  to  the  Intendant,  1  was  afterwards  free  to  |)ur- 
sue  my  own  course,  and,  in  the  first  place,  went  to 
the  residence  of  the  consul  of  the  United  States,  by 
whom  1  was  assured,  there  would  have  been  no  hazard 
in  coming  in  the  character  of  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  nor  any  in  giving  evidence  that  1  was  not  a 
Dane  by  taking  a  room  at  his  house.  To  this  proposal 
I.  very  readily  acceded,  and  became  an  inmate  with  the 
only  three  Americans  in  the  island,  one  of  whom  was 
William  Slialer,  author  of  ''  Sketches  of  Algiers,"  and 
for  many  years  consul-general  of  the  United  Stales  to 
the   IJarbary  powers. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  Danish  and  the  Handiurgh 
were  the  only  neutral  (lags  in  port,  (and  of  these  there 
were  but  two  of  the  first,  and  one  of  the  latter,)  yet  the 
equipment  of  privateers,  the  sale  and  resale  of  prizes 
and  their  cargoes,  and  the  occasional  arrival  of  a  slave- 
ship  from  Madagascar,  kept  up  the  bustle  and  appear- 
ance of  business.      Though  the  small  value  of  the  |)ro- 


, 


Di.NE  WITH  Tin:  govkknur. 


12^ 


to 


ducts  of  the  island  indicated,  that  this  was  not  of  the 
most  heneficial  and  salutary  description.  From  the 
eanu'stness  of  the  brokers  to  purchase  my  cargo  I  had 
no  dou])t  of  making  a  handsome  profit  on  it  ;  hut  before 
accepting  any  jiroposal  1  wailed  till  the  following  morn- 
ing, that  a  fair  opportunity  might  be  given  to  each  of 
I  the  competitors,  when   1  closed  with  one  of  them  at  a 

rate,  which  gave  me  about  a  dollar  for  the  rupee  on  the 
whole  amount  of  the  investment. 

Jn  conformity  with  my  j)revious  engagement  I  went, 
at  two  o'clock,  to  dine  with  the  (jovernor,  who  was 
not  less  affable  than  at  niv  first  introduction.  His  in- 
tercourse  with  the  young  ofiicers  composing  his  sta0", 
and  who  constituted  the  majority  of  the  j)arty,  resem- 
bled rather  that  of  a  father  with  his  children,  than  of  a 
militarj'  chief  with  his  subalterns.  The  dinner  was 
served  up  in  plain  but  handsome  style,  and  consisted  of  a 
good  variety  of  well-cooked  dishes.  There  prevailed  at 
table  an  ease  and  an  entire  freedom  from  restraint,  whicli 
formed  a  striking  contrast  to  the  formality  and  ceremony 
I  had  recently  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  at  I'lng- 
lish  tables.  The  repast  was  of  about  two  hours'  dura- 
tion, and  finished  with  coireo  and  liqueurs,  when  each 
one  uncfM'emoniously  withdrew. 

The  unlading  and  delivering  my  cargo  was  soon  ac- 
complished ;  and  a  day  or  two  after  I  had  an  ap|)lica- 
tion  for  my  vessel  from  a  person  whose  })lantati()n  was 
contiguous  to  some  little  river,  for  navigating  which  my 
boat  was  peculiarly  adapted  by  her  easy  draft  of  water. 
On  this  |)art  of  my  speculation  1  had  not  anticipated 
making  any  profit  ;  the  main  object  being  that  of  a  pas- 
sage, which  could  be  obtained  in  no  other  way.  ]?ut  I 
found   the  gentleman  willing  to  give  three  thousand  five 


124 


FIKST   VOVAGE. 


hundred  dollars  for  my  boat  ;  and  I  closed  vviili  liim  at 
that  price.  Tims  tiiere  appealed  evidently  to  be  a  tide 
in  my  aflairs,  wbicb  was  leading  on  to  fortune  ;  and 
I  was  deriving  an  advantage  where  I  had  not  antici- 
pated it. 

But  a  few  days'  residence  satisfied  mo,  that  I  had 
arrived  too  late  to  profit  by  the  purchase  of  any  of 
those  vessels  or  cargoes  which  had  previously  been 
sent  in.  Some  of  them  were  already  on  their  way  to 
India  under  the  Danish  flag  ;  and  others  had  been  pur- 
chased on  speculation,  for  resale,  by  merchants  of  the 
place.  From  these  J  had  several  ships  proposed  to 
me,  but  at  too  high  a  rate  to  profit  by  taking  thoin  to 
India.  There  remained  to  me,  therefore,  no  other  al- 
ternative, than  to  be  ready  with  my  funds,  and  wait  the 
arrival  of  some  of  those  prizes,  which,  there  was  httle 
doubt,  would  be  sent  in  by  some  one  of  the  numerous 
and  well-appointed  cruisers  which  had  been  despatched 
from  this  port. 

A  month  having  elapsed,  and  no  opportunity  pre- 
senting for  investing  my  funds,  I  determined  to  make  a 
short  excursion  to  the  Isle  of  Bourbon,  (or  Beuniou,  as 
it  was  then  called,)  and,  on  the  14thof.Iune,  took  passage 
in  the  brig  Creole,  Ca])tain  Touissante,  for  St.  Denis. 
During  the  twenty-four  hours  immediately  succeeding 
our  departure,  we  had  a  continued  gale  of  wind,  wiiich 
compelled  us  to  lie  to  under  a  reefed  foresail,  tini  ,>ea 
running  very  high,  and  prevented  our  anchoring  in  the 
road  of  St  Denis  before  noon  of  the  I6tli.  A  letter 
of  introduction  to  the  most  considerable  merchant  of 
the  place  procured  me  access  to  one  of  the  most  ac- 
complished and  pleasing  families  of  the  island,  from 
whom,  during  my  residence   there,  I  experienced  that 


I 


ISLE   OF   nOLRIiO.N. 


125 


pre- 
e  a 

,  as 
nge 

Ills. 

ing 
licli 
>oa 
the 
tter 
t  of 
ac- 
Vom 
that 


: 


I 


A 

'■: 
> 


polite  attention  and  true  lio.s|)italiiy,  wliich  arc  always 
the  more  grateful  when,  as  in  this  instance,  they  are 
known  to  be  purely  disinterested. 

After  a  few  days'  residence  in  tiiis  family,  I  crossed 
the  n)ountain  to  the  south,  hy  a  zig-zag  path,  accessible 
to  horses,  and  soon  arrived  at  the  cofTec  plantation  of 
Mr.  Dumeste,  to  whom  1  had  a  letter,  and  whose  hos- 
pitality had  been  made  known  to  me  by  several  of  my 
countrymen,  who  had  experienced  it.  This  plantation 
is  beautifully  situated  at  a  great  elevation,  cotnnmnding 
a  view  of  the  ocean  with  its  boundless  horizon  in  the 
west;  and  the  greater  part  of  the  grounds,  which  the 
slaves  are  employed  in  cultivating,  may  be  seen  from 
the  house.  The  cofiee  tree,  this  year,  promised  an 
abundant  crop,  and  the  harvest  time  would  arri\  t'  in 
about  six  weeks. 

Leaving  this  charming  residence  with  the  most  favor- 
able impressions  of  the  kind  feelings  and  amiable  char- 
acter of  the  owner,  I  proceeded  to  St.  Paul's,  which, 
in  point  of  mercantile  importance,  is  the  second  place 
in  the  island,  the  roadstead  being  generally  smoother  and 
preferable  to  that  of  St.  Denis.  The  town  is  situated 
on  part  of  a  sjjacious,  flat,  and  sandy  tract,  on  the 
border  of  a  large  bay  ;  and  though  it  sjjreads  over  a 
considerable  extent,  as  the  houses  are  not  contiguous, 
yet  the  population  is  very  inconsiderable.  Its  value 
principally  consists  in  being  a  place  of  embarkation  for 
the  produce  of  the  neighbouring  plantations.  The  surf 
on  the  beach,  particularly  on  the  full  and  change  of  the 
moon,  is  often  so  great  as  to  render  landing  dangerous  ; 
and  whenever  this  is  the  case  a  signal  is  made  from  a 
flag-staff,  erected  for  the  purpose,  to  notify  the  vessels 
which  may  be  lying  in  the  road. 
11  * 


126 


FlllST  VOYAGE. 


From  this  port  I  took  a  water  conveyance  to  tlic 
Rivitre  d'Abordo,  and  proceeded,  on  landing,  to  tlie 
plantation  of  Mr.  Nairac,  an  old  Irish  resident,  to  whom 
I  had  a  letter,  and  who  received  me  with  those  hearty 
demonstrations  of  welcome  which  are  peculiar  to  his 
countrymen.  His  long  residence  among  the  French 
had  not  so  entirely  obliterated  the  knowledge  of  his 
native  language,  as  to  prevent  his  conversing  in  it  fa- 
miliarly ;  ihongh  from  long  disuse  of  it  there  was  often 
evidence  of  embarrassment  in  finding  terms  to  express 
himself.  Every  thing  about  this  plantation  gave  indica- 
tion of  the  wealth  of  the  proprietor.  Such  was  its 
symmetry,  its  extreme  neatness,  and  the  beauty  of  its 
walks,  that  it  had  more  the  nopearance  of  a  garden  de- 
signed for  pleasure,  than  of  a  plantation  intended  for 
profit.  The  prospect,  however,  was  limited  in  every 
direction,  either  by  the  mountains  or  the  tall  trees  bor- 
dering on  the  premises  ;  so  that  the  resident  was  as 
much  excluded  from  the  view  of  the  world,  as  from  its 
noise  and  turbulence. 

As  this  situation  is  distant  from  either  of  the  ports 
where  vessels  usually  anchor,  the  visit  of  a  stranger  is  a 
rare  event,  and  therefore  proportionally  appreciated. 
This  was  evinced  by  the  direction  given  to  have  a  fat 
ox  killed,  and  by  sending  despatches,  in  various  direc- 
tions, with  invitations  to  come  on  the  morrow  and  par- 
take of  it.  Accordingly,  the  next  day  about  a  dozen 
gentlemen  assembled,  who,  for  those  qualifications  which 
give  life  and  spirit  to  a  convivial  party,  maintained  the 
reputation  of  their  countrymen,  and  seemed  to  allbrd 
great  pleasure  to  the  host.  Mr.  Nairac  had  promised 
to  give  me,  what  1  had  never  seen  in  a  tropical  climate, 
a  piece  of  roast  beef,  equal  in  delicacy  and   flavor  to 


1 


EXCURSION  AM)  KETUUN. 


127 


any  I  had  ever  eaten  in  Europe  or  America  ;  and  tliis 
promise  was  I'liily  redeemed,  for  it  was  of  a  quality 
wliicli  could  not  be  sinpassed,  and  which,  till  now,  I 
had  always  suppose?!  to  he  limited  to  the  temperate 
regions.  The  natural  hilarity  and  vivacity  of  liie  party 
needed  no  artificial  stimulus.  Consequently,  although 
there  was  a  great  abundance  and  variety  of  the  best 
wines,  they  were  taken  with  such  moderation  as  to 
evince,  that  no  one  of  the  party  possessed  the  ridicu- 
lous pride  of  being  considered  able  to  swallow  more 
than  his  neighbour.  Early  on  the  following  morning 
we  mounted  our  steeds,  and,  bidding  farewell  to  our  ex- 
cellent host,  began  our  ascent  toward  the  summit  of  the 
Island.  When  we  had  reached  its  highest  elevation, 
the  cold  was  so  great,  that  1  found  it  advisable  to 
dismount  and  walk,  to  warm  my  feet  ;  and  in  the  little 
hollows  wliere  the  rain  had  lodged,  it  had  frozen  to 
the  thickness  of  the  eighth  of  an  inch.  We  went 
over  the  route  which  is  called  "  passing  by  the  plain," 
and  which  also  passes  near  to  the  crater  of  the  volcano. 
Arriving  at  St.  Benoit  in  the  evening,  we  found  a  com- 
fortable lodging  at  a  private  house  ;  and,  pursuing  our 
course  early  in  the  morning,  we  travelled  quickly  over 
a  good  road,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  arrived  in  safety 
at  my  friend's  house  in  St.  Denis. 

In  this  excursion  I  ascertained,  that  none  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  island  could  be  purchased  at  the  diminished 
rate  which  1  had  expected  from  the  stagnant  state  of 
commerce.  The  reason  was  obvious  ;  the  general  abili- 
ty of  every  one  to  keep  his  produce  when  it  is  below 
its  ordinary  value  ;  an  ability  produced  by  frugal  habits, 
by  limited  wants,  and  an  entire  absence  of  those  luxu- 
ries of  furniture  and  equipage,  which  custom  has   ren- 


< 


128 


FIIIST  VOiAOK. 


dered  indispensable  to  the  European  and  American,  and 
for  which  they,  in  some  instances,  devote  themselves 
to  a  life  of  toil  and  anxiety. 

A  speedy  return  to  the  Isle  of  France  being  now  de- 
sirable, 1  embarked,  on  the  1st  of  July,  in  a  C.'hasse- 
maree  ;  but,  owing  to  unfavorable  winds  and  bad  man- 
agement, we  had  the  very  long  passage  of  ten  days. 
It  appeared,  that,  during  my  absence,  no  other  prize 
liad  been  sent  in  than  the  Aliiomack  of  lialiimorc, 
bound  to  Batavia  with  an  assorted  cargo.  I  iiad  tiierc- 
fore  lost  no  opportunity  of  prosecuting  my  plan  by  my 
absence. 

A  few  days  only  had  elapsed,  however,  after  my  re- 
turn, when  the  Company's  extra  ship  Armenia  arrived, 
taken  on  her  passage  from  London  to  Calcutta  with  a 
valuable  cargo,  by  the  Clarisse.  This  ship  was  of  six 
hundred  tons  burden,  Bengal  built,  and  was  on  her  first 
voyage.  As  I  was  confident,  that  there  was  no  other 
person  there  at  the  time,  who  was  ])repared  with  the 
requisite  documents  and  officers  to  take  a  ship  to  Jndia, 
and  was  persuaded  that  no  one  would  be  willing  to  ])ay 
high  with  a  view  of  a  resale,  I  felt  so  certain  of  being 
the  purchaser,  that  I  took  some  preliminary  steps  to 
avoid  any  additional  loss  of  time  in  taking  possession. 
I  expected  to  procure  her  at  from  eighteen  to  twenty 
thousand  dollars  ;  but  at  the  sale,  contrary  to  the  ex- 
pectations of  every  one,  and  to  the  astonishment  of 
those  interested,  she  was  run  up  to  the  enormous  sum 
of  twenty-seven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  1  was 
so  little  disposed  to  submit  to  the  disappointment,  that 
I  very  incautiously  bid  twenty-seven  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars,  and  was  rejoiced  when  relieved 
by  the  superior  bid,  which  took  her  from  me.     This 


DKATii  or  Tin;  fioviiuxfjii. 


129 


was  a  groat  tlisappnintrnciit  to  me  ;  but,  upon  solior  re- 
flection, my  escape  from  jiaying  too  much  to  liavc  a 
chance  of  proCit  reconciled  mc  to  it. 

IJut  a  few  days  had  elapsed,  however,  after  the  sale, 
when  T  was  siu'prised  hy  the  incjuiry  of  a  broker,  if  I 
would  take  the  ship  at  what  I  had  bidden.  On  de- 
clining, he  thought  she  might  be  obtained  for  sometliing 
less.  This  awakened  suspicions,  wiiich  were  the  next 
day  confirmed  by  the  information,  that  the  purchaser  of 
tlie  ship  had  a  long  credit  on  whatever  he  bought  at  the 
salf  id,  supposing  I  wanted  the  shij),  and  would  be 
wil..  ^  .o  pay  him  as  high  as  I  had  offered  at  the  sale, 
he  contemplated  the  use  of  my  money  (which  was  then 
at  very  high  interest)  for  the  mere  sacrifice  of  his  ad- 
ditional bid.  In  a  few  weeks  after,  the  ship  was  oflered 
to  me  for  several  thousand  dollars  less  than  she  brought 
at  the  sale  ;  but,  having  waited  so  long,  I  determined 
to  have  a  cheap  ship  or  none. 

On  the  28th  of  this  month  a  general  gloom  was 
thrown  over  the  town  by  the  sudden  death  of  their  ex- 
cellent Governor,  General  Malartie,  after  an  illness  of 
forty-eight  hours.  In  a  room  in  the  government-house, 
hung  with  black,  and  with  rows  of  lighted  tapers  on 
each  side  of  the  coflhi,  the  body  lay  in  state  till  the 
oOlh,  and  then  was  interred  with  military  honors,  and 
every  imaginable  demonstration  of  respect.  He  had 
exj)ressed  a  wish,  that  his  funeral  expenses  might  not 
exceed  thirty  dollars  ;  but  so  high  a  respect  was  enter- 
tained for  his  character  and  services,  that  there  seemed 
to  be  a  determination  that  no  expense  should  be  spared 
to  evince  it.  The  present  place  of  interment,  there- 
fore, was  only  to  serve  till  a  magnificent  tomb  could  be 
built  on   the  Champ   de   Mars   to  receive  his  remains. 


130 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


This  being  prepared  by  the  latter  part  of  the  ensuing 
month,  the  body  was  taken  from  the  church,  and  car- 
ried thither  in  procession  with  minute  guns  firing  ;  and, 
having  arrived  at  tl)e  sepulchre,  a  eulogy  was  pro- 
nounced to  a  numerous  and  attentive  audience.  A  few 
days  previous,  the  English  blockading  squadron  had  ar- 
rived, under  command  of  Commodore  liothani.  These, 
on  the  day  of  the  funeral  obsequies,  as  a  maik  of  re- 
spect for  the  deceased  general,  came  down  from  wind- 
ward, and  lay  by,  ofT  the  entrance  of  the  harbour,  with 
their  colors  hoisted  half  mast,  and  firing  minute  guns. 
Such  a  tribute  of  respect  from  an  enemy  is  so  magnan- 
imous, that  it  cannot  fail  to  be  considered  honmable 
to  both  parties  ;  and  while  such  acts  meet  the  ap- 
plause of  the  civilized  world,  they  will  also  have  their 
influence  in  diminishing  the  asperities  and  miseries  of 
war. 

A  few  days  af  !r  giving  this  evidence  of  respect  and 
courtesy,  the  squadron  gave  us  an  exhibition  of  charac- 
ter of  a  different  kind.  A  Hamburgh  shi[)  had,  dnrii.g 
the  night,  got  between  the  squadron  and  the  land, 
and  at  daylight  was  discovered  by  them  several  miles 
to  leeward,  and  near  Round  Islanil.  All  sail  was  made 
by  the  squadron  in  chase  ;  and  although  they  were 
fast  approaching  him,  the  Ilambingher  persevered  in 
pushing  for  the  port,  with  a  boldness  and  determina- 
tion which  greatly  excited  the  sympathy  of  the  multi- 
tudes, who  were  watching,  with  intense  interest,  the  re- 
sult. Befcre  he  had  got  quite  up  with  the  fort  at  the 
entrance  of  the  port,  the  Lancaster,  of  sixty-four  guns, 
passed  so  near  to  him  (outside)  that  the  bails  from  her 
broadside  passed  over  and  came  ashore.  Then  the  Ad- 
amant, of  fifty  guns,  as  near,  fired  her  broadside  with  as 


li. 


BLOCKAUING   SQUADRON. 


131 


h: 


littl(3  effect ;  and  there  being  no  time  for  repealing  tlicm, 
tlie  ship  got  in  safe,  while  the  air  resounded  with  the 
shouts  and  gratnhuions  of  the  assembled  multitude. 
It  is  diflicult  to  conceive,  how  two  such  formidable 
broadsides  could  be  directed,  from  so  short  a  distance, 
against  so  large  an  object  without  destroying  it  ;  and 
that  iliey  ])roduced  no  injury,  seemed  almost  miiaculous. 
The  ship  was  innnediatoly  war[)ed  up,  and  moored  near 
to  iho  guard  ship.  But  the  Hnglish  Commodore  was 
determined  not  to  be  outdone  in  enterprise.  And 
although  his  j)rospect  of  success  seemed  as  hopeless 
as  the  esca()e  of  the  Hamburgher  had  done  in  the  morn- 
ing, he  sent  in  his  b  lats  about  ten  o'clock  the  same 
evening,  of  which  we  had  notice  by  the  roar  of  cannon 
from  the  guard  ship  and  from  the  forts,  and,  in  defiance 
of  these,  actually  carried  the  ship  olF,  while  the  crew 
supposed  themselves  to  be  in  .uich  perfect  safety,  that 
the  broker  was  on  board  taking  a  list  of  the  articles 
composing  the  cargo.  It  was  said  there  were  a  few 
lives  lost  on  this  occasion. 

The  srpiadron  had  alrcr.dy  intercepted  a  shi|i  from 
Fiance  when  near  the  island,  and  had  also  taken  several 
of  the  Bourbon  coasting  vessels.  There  remained, 
therefore,  but  a  feeble  chance  for  any  prize  to  suc- 
ceed in  entering  the  porl.  Under  these  circumstances, 
not  late  in  the  month  of  iSeptendjer,  1  decided  to 
abandon  the  ])lan  of  returning  to  India.  Money  was  in 
unusual  demand,  and  colibe  to  be  procured  with  it  at 
an  uncommonly  low  rate.  Hence  it  was  obvious,  that, 
to  invest  the  princi|)al  part  of  my  capital  in  this  article 
before  the  opening  of  the  intercourse  with  America,  or 
any  other  event  shoidd  enhance  the  value  of  it,  and  to 
be  prepared  to  freight  it,  by  the  fust  good  opportunity, 


132 


FIRST   V()Y.\(;K 


for  Europe  or  the  United  States,  was  the  most  ju- 
dicious course  to  pursue. 

Acting  on  this  determination,  1  had  soon  secured 
the  quantity  I  desired,  and  on  very  advantageous  terms. 
In  the  mean  time,  and  early  in  the  month  of  Octoher, 
the  English  squadron  went  oil"  without  being  relieved 
by  another,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  merchants  in  par- 
ticular, and  of  the  inhabitants  generally,  of  the  Isle  of 
France.  In  their  short  cruise,  and  i)rincipally  from  the 
capture  of  coasting  vessels,  they  had  caused  the  ruin 
of  some  families  and  the  distress  of  many. 

The  blockade  had  been  raised  but  a  day  or  two, 
when  there  arrived  a  national  corvette,  and  also  a 
Danisii  and  a  Hamburgh  ship,  all  from  Europe  The 
general  tenor  of  the  news  they  brought  was,  that  the 
war  was  prosecuted  in  Europe,  by  all  parties,  with  its 
accustomed  vigor  ;  and  uiai  there  was  an  immediate  ex- 
pectation of  an  adjustment  of  diniculties  between  the 
French  and  iVmerican  governments.  This  last  was  a 
"  consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished  "  by  the  Ameri- 
cans here,  not  less  on  public  than  on  private  consideia- 
tions.  Nor  was  it  less  desired  by  the  cultivators  and 
owners  of  plantations,  whose  produce  would  be  en- 
hanced in  value  by  an  open  intercourse  with  the  United 
States,  more  than  by  all  the  neutrals  of  Europe  com- 
bined. Hence,  the  planters  never  failed  to  regret  the 
arrival  of  an  American  prize,  from  the  fear,  that  each 
additional  one  would  have  a  tendency  to  prolong  hos- 
tilities. 

In  the  course  of  tiie  month  of  November,  arrived  the 
Confiance  privateer,  conducting  her  prize,  the  East  In- 
dia Company's  ship  Kent.  'JMie  action,  which  resulted 
in  the  capture  of  this  ship,  will  rank  amongst  the  most 


\i 


CAPTURE   OF   THE   KENT. 


133 


the 
In- 

illeil 
nost 


I 


chivalrous  and  gallant,  which  the  naval  annals  of  any 
country  record,  and  which  even  Surcouffe  would  hardly 
have  risked,  had  he  been  aware  that  his  antagonist  had 
more  than  the  usual  complement  of  men  for  a  Compa- 
ny's ship.  But,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  number, 
of  |)robably  one  hundred  and  fifty,  were  the  troops  and 
passengers,  who  were  going  out  in  the  Queen,  which 
was  burnt  at  St.  Salvador,  and  who  ai'  ounted  to  about 
three  hundred  ;  making  together  four  hundred  and  fifty 
men.  Tiieir  ship  had  a  complete  battery  betwixt  decks, 
of  twenty-two  or  twenty-four  twelve-pounders,  and  had 
the  advantage  of  an  elevation  above  the  water  double 
that  of  the  ])rivateer  ;  so  that  it  nnght  be  supposed,  that 
one  man  would  successfully  resist  at  least  four  assail- 
ants. The  Confiance  mounted  twenty  nine-pounders, 
and  had,  on  sailing  from  the  Isle  of  France,  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  men.  She  had  greatly  the  advantage 
of  her  opponent  in  sailing.  The  action  being  begun  by 
the  Kent,  but  few  broadsides  were  exchanged,  before 
the  Confiance,  luffing  up  under  the  quarter,  and  pouring 
in  a  broadside,  boarded  in  the  smoke  with  nearly  the 
whole  crew.  The  resistance  on  deck  was  not  of  long 
duration  ;  and  when  it  ceased,  a  scene  of  plunder  en- 
sued, which  is  considered  to  be  justified  by  the  prac- 
tices of  war,  when  a  place  or  ship  is  taken  by  storm, 
and  which  is  promised  to  the  men  previous  to  the  as- 
sault. Nor  is  it  in  the  power  of  the  commander,  how- 
ever he  may  be  disposed,  to  arrest  the  progress  of 
those  irregidarities,  which  arc  inseparable  from  such  a 
state  of  confusion.  Were  it  possible,  there  was  no  per- 
son in  the  world,  who  would  have  been  more  ready  to  do 
it  than  Captain  Surcoufle,  whom  I  knew  to  be  not  less 
deservedly  distinguished   for  humanity  and   generosity, 


VOL.    I. 


12 


134 


FIRST    VOYAGE. 


than  for  intrepidity  and  the  most  daring  courage.  Tiio 
value  of  this  prize  to  the  captors  was  not  very  great,  as 
she  was  laden  principally  with  military  stores.  One  of 
the  privateers-men  produced  considerable  mirtii  on  the 
Exchange,  by  appearing  there  dressed  in  a  suit  of  the 
English  general's  uniform,  which  he  had  taken  the  lib- 
erty to  appropriate  to  his  own  particular  use.  13nt  a 
few  weeks  had  elapsed  after  the  arrival  of  this  prize, 
when  the  American  brig  Traveller,  of  Boston,  with 
upwards  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  specie  on 
board,  was  sent  in  by  the  Adello  privateer.  To  pre- 
vent any  influence  which  the  captain,  supercargo,  or 
ofiicers  might  have  in  averting  condemnation,  neither  of 
them  had  been  permitted  to  proceed  in  the  brig.  This 
we  learned  from  the  sailor  who  came  in  her. 

Great  efforts  weremade,  not  less  by  the  Consul  of 
the  United  States,  than  by  several  respectable  individ- 
uals of  the  place,  for  the  release  of  this  projierty,  but 
ineffectually.  The  fact  of  there  being  such  an  amount 
of  specie  on  board,  and  of  its  being  much  wanted,  was 
of  sufficient  weight  to  bear  down  all  opposition  to  its 
condemnation.  These  efforts,  however,  <  ombincd  with 
the  information  recently  received,  that  s(jvi;ral  of  their 
privateers  had  been  foiled,  and  much  cut  up,  by  Ameri- 
can letters  of  marque,  which  they  had  met  in  the 
Bay  of  Bengal,  tended  greatly  to  promote  a  hostile  feel- 
ing towards  the  Aniericans  ;  in  those,  particularly,  who 
were  interested  in  privateers. 

During  the  existence  of  these  feelings  a  Boston  news- 
paper was  produced  on  'Change,  in  which  was  insert- 
ed a  list  of  those  merchants  of  the  Isle  of  I'rance 
who  were  engaged  in  privateering  ;  and  some  oi  whom 
were   styled   rogues,   noted  villains,  &c.     Among   the 


A  DUEL. 


135 


or 


5 

« 


latter  was  a  very  irascible,  arrogant,  and  physically 
powerful  man,  who  was  an  armateiir  and  also  a  Captain 
of  Dragoons.  No  sooner  was  he  informed  of  the  un- 
gracious notice  taken  of  him  in  this  paper,  than,  in- 
capable of  suppressing  his  wrath,  he  gave  vent  to  it  in 
the  most  gross  and  abusive  language,  directed  to  a 
young  Bostonian,  who  hapt  ijned  to  be  the  only  Ameri- 
can on  'Change.  The  consequence  was,  a  challenge. 
They  met  the  next  morning,  and  fought  at  only  five 
paces  distant ;  when  the  Captain  of  Dragoons  received 
his  adversary's  ball,  diagonally,  in  the  arm,  which  laid 
i)im  up  for  six  weeks.  The  Bostonian  escaped  un- 
injured. We  experienced,  afterwards,  in  our  inter- 
course with  the  inhabitants,  nothing  but  the  civility  and 
politeness,  which  are  proverbially  French. 

Some  time  in  the  month  of  December,  the  prize 
ship  Kent  was  sold  to  a  Dane  for  thirty  thousand  nine 
hundred  dollars.  Soon  after  which  she  was  put  up 
for  freight  for  Europe  ;  being  called  the  Cronberg,  and 
having  transferred  to  her  the  papers  of  a  ship  of  that 
name,  of  about  three  hundred  tons  burden.  But,  at 
this  time,  (cw  persons  were  desirous  of  freighting  to 
Europe  ;  and  all  considered  the  risk  too  great  by  this 
vessel,  both  on  account  of  the  deficiency  of  the  recpii- 
site  papers,  and  of  the  proposal  of  the  agent  to  take 
French  property.  More  than  a  month  had  elapsed 
after  this  ship  was  prepared  to  receive  a  cargo,  and 
none  had  been  ofiered  ;  while  the  daily  expenses  were 
rapidly  consuming  the  means  indispensable  for  putting 
her  to  sea.  Under  these  circumstances,  overtures  were 
made  to  Mr.  Shaler  and  myself  to  freight  the  ship 
exclusively,  and  with  a  particular  agreement,  that  no 
French    property,  or   passenger,  should    be    taken    on 


136 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


board.  The  terms  were  low  in  proportion  to  the  risk  ; 
the  accommodations  for  ourselves  were  spacious  and 
tempting  ;  the  chance  of  the  intercourse  soon  opening 
with  America  uncertain  ;  and  we  had  both  become 
equally  tired  of  a  state  of  inactivity,  and  of  our  resi- 
dence at  the  Isle  of  France.  We  therefore  engaged  to 
freight  in  this  ship,  and  stipulated  to  sail  in  sixty  days 
from  the  date  of  the  contract. 

During  the  remainder  of  this  and  the  ensuing  month, 
there  were  several  arrivals  from  Europe,  which  caused 
a  rise  in  the  price  of  the  produce  of  the  island  of  fif- 
teen to  twenty  per  cent.  A  coasting  brig  from  Bour- 
bon, with  fourteen  hundred  bags  of  coffee,  was  chased 
on  shore  by  an  English  frigate,  near  to  Little  River  ; 
and  the  vessel  and  most  of  the  cargo  were  lost.  New 
animation  and  vigor  were  given  to  the  society  of  the 
place  by  the  young  men  attached  to  the  two  national 
ships,  Naturaliste  and  Geographe,  under  the  command 
of  Monsieur  Baudin,  who  had  touched  here  on  the 
route  to  New  Holland  and  the  Pacific  ocean,  on  a 
voyage  of  discovery  and  scieniific  research.  The  ships, 
on  their  arrival,  looked  rather  as  if  they  were  returning 
from  circumnavigating  the  globe,  than  commencing  an 
enter|)rise  of  several  years'  duration  ;  and,  as  far  as  I 
could  judge  from  a  cursory  observation,  there  was  noth- 
ing connected  with  tlie  expedition,  that  promised  to  add 
to  the  national  ghiry,  or  to  repay  the  expense  of  the 
equipment. 


I 
I 


rilOSPECT   OF   DKI'AU'rLlU;. 


137 


CHAPTER    X. 

Satisfaction  at  the  Prospect  of  Departure.  —  Observations  on  tlie  Isle 
of  France.  —  Influence  of  the  Janoliins.  —  A  Hurricane.  —  Sail 
for  I'^urope.  —  Speak  an  American  Schooner.  —  (.'oast  of  Norway, 
—  War  between  the  English  and  Danes. —  Arrive  at  ("Christian- 
sand. —  Leave  the  Ship,  and  proceed  to  Copenhagen.  —  Arrival 
there.  —  A  profitable  Voyaire.  —  .Sketcii  of  Copenhagen.  —  Obe- 
lisk.—  Fre<lericksburg  I'alace.  —  Rosenberg  Palace. —  Arrival  of 
the  Ship  from  Norway. 


I 


The  period  of  my  departure  now  drew  near  ;  and  I 
looked  forward  to  it  with  great  impatience.  Having 
reached  the  middle  of  March,  ten  months  were  com- 
pleted since  my  arrival  ;  a  term  rendered  additionally  te- 
dious from  the  want  of  occupation.  During  this  time  no 
opportunity  had  presented  of  putting  into  execution  the 
plan  f  had  contemplated  on  leaving  Calcutta  ;  and,  con- 
trolled by  circumstances,  I  was  now  again  about  ven- 
turing every  thing,  without  the  possibility  of  covering  any' 
part  of  the  risk  by  insiu'ance.  Should  we  arrive  safe  in 
Europe,  my  fortune  would  be  much  greater  than  I  coidd 
reasonably  have  hoped  to  possess  at  the  outset.  If  we 
shotdd  fail  to  do  so,  or  should  be  intercepted  by  an 
English  cruiser  and  condemned,  still  the  property, 
which  had  been  sent  home  from  China,  would  amount 
to  more  than  double  of  the  original  outfit  from  France. 
Thus,  though  the  amount  at  hazard  was  greater,  its  loss 
woidd  be  attended  with  none  of  the  distressing  conse- 
quences, which  would  have  resulted  from  the  loss  of  the 
12* 


138 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


property  in  an  earlier  stage  of  the  enterprise.  These 
considerations  greatly  diminished  the  anxiety  at  having 
a  large  portion  of  my  fortune  at  hazard,  and  reconciled 
me  to  taking  the  risk.  Moreover,  our  ship  was  so 
large,  and  made  so  warlike  an  appearance,  that  there 
was  hut  little  chance  that  any  cruiser  less  than  a  frigate 
would  approach  within  reach  of  our  guns. 

It  was  agreed  that  we  should  avoid,  if  possihle, 
speaking  any  vessel,  and  that  we  should  pass  a  long 
way  to  the  south  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  We 
determined  also  to  avoid  seeing  St.  Helena  or  Ascen- 
sion, or  indeed  any  land  from  the  time  of  losing  sight 
of  the  Isle  of  Bourhon,  till  we  should  see  the  land 
about  P'air  Isle  passage  ;  and  before  coming  up  with 
this,  to  make  a  long  sweep  to  the  westward,  and  ap- 
proach this  passage  on  an  easterly  course.  With  such 
precautions  we  considered  the  prospect  to  be  tolerably 
fair,  especially  if  the  ship  sailed  as  well  as  reported, 
of  arriving  in  safety  at  our  destined  port. 

JJefore  noticing  this  passage,  it  is  proper  to  say 
something  of  the  Isle  of  France  and  its  government  and 
people.  The  very  rugged,  mountainous,  and  irregular 
appearance  presented  to  tlie  voyager  on  a  first  view  of 
the  Isle  of  France,  would  naturally  cause  him  to  believe 
that  it  could  not  be  well  adapted  to  agriculture.  By  a 
nearer  view,  however,  he  will  be  undeceived.  The 
luxuriant  valleys,  which  meet  his  view  as  he  passes  along 
to  leeward  between  Round  Island  and  the  port,  and 
the  aromatic  breezes,  doubly  agreeable  to  one  who 
has  been  long  at  sea,  will  convince  him  that  iliere  is 
no  deficiency  of  land  which  is  prized  by  the  agricul- 
turist. And  this  opinion  will  be  confirmed  by  visiting 
the  productive  cotton,  cofl'ee,  and  indigo  plantations, 


I 


OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE  ISLE  OF  FRANCE. 


139 


and  noticing;,   moreover,  the  prosperous  cultivation  of 
the  clove,  ol"  wheat,  and  of  Indian  corn. 

The  secure  harbour  of  Port  Northwest  gives  to  the 
island  great  commercial  advantages  over  the  more  fer- 
tile, but,  in  this  respect,  less  Aivored  Isle  of  Bourbon  ; 
for  the  produce  of  the  latter  is  principally  transported 
to  the  Isle  of  France  for  embarkation  for  Europe,  this 
being  thought  a  smaller  inconvenience  than  to  load  the 
ships  in  its  open  and  dangerous  roadsteads.  The 
town  formerly  called  Port  Louis,  and  more  recent- 
ly Port  Northwest,  is  situated  on  the  eastern  mar- 
gin of  the  harbour  ;  whence  it  extends  back  nearly 
a  mile  to  the  Champ  de  Mars,  a  spacious  field,  des- 
tined for  the  exercise  and  the  review  of  troops. 
Tlie  view  from  the  town  is  limited  on  the  north  and 
south  by  hills,  on  which  are  made  the  signals  to  denote 
the  approach  of  vessels  ;  on  the  east,  by  those  very 
irregular  mountains  called  Pieter-Boih,  the  Ponce,  and 
Piton  du  milieu  de  Tile,  which  have  an  elevation  from 
the  sea  of  three  to  fom-  hundred  toises  ;  and  on  the 
west  by  the  ocean,  and  an  uninterrupted  horizon.  The 
houses  are,  with  very  few  exceptions,  built  of  wood, 
in  a  neat,  pretty  style,  and  genernlly  of  one  story. 
The  public  buildings  are  commodious  and  useful  ;  but 
are  not  of  a  descri[)tion  to  attract  the  observation  of 
a  stranger  ;  excepting,  perhaps,  the  government-house, 
which  is  spacious  and  airy,  and  is  so  situated  as  to 
command  a  fine  view  of  the  harbour  and  shipj)ing.  The 
streets  are  regular,  of  good  breadth,  generally  clean, 
and  many  of  them  arc  ornamented  with  trees.  The 
bazaar,  or  market  for  meat  and  vegetables,  is  on  a  large 
square,  contiguous  to  the  government-house.  It  alibrds 
but  a  scanty  choice  of  eatables,  and  those  not  the  best 


140 


FIRST    VOYAGE. 


of  their  kinds  ;  and  also  indicates  great  disregard  of  that 
cleanliness,  which  is  particularly  desirable  and  proper  in 
a  market-place.  'J'he  number  of  inhabitants  amounts  to 
about  thirteen  thousand  ;  two  thirds  of  whom  are  slaves. 

There  was  at  this  time  a  person  at  the  Isle  of  France, 
whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  who  believed  himself 
to  be  possessed  of  a  power  to  discover  objects  at  sea, 
several  hundred  miles  farther  off  than  any  other  person 
could  see.  He  pretended  to  see  vessels  so  distant  to 
windward,  that  they  would  only  arrive,  according  to 
his  calculation,  in  three  or  four  days  ;  and  as  they 
often  did  arrive  conformably,  which,  from  tiie  frerpiency 
of  his  predictions,  was  not  surprising,  he  made  many 
converts.  If  they  failed  to  come,  it  did  not  prove  that 
he  had  not  seen  them  ;  but  that  they  had  ])asscd  by  on 
their  way  to  India.  The  man  evinced  that  he  was 
equally  deluded  with  others,  by  afterwards  putting  this 
faculty  to  a  fair  test,  through  the  means  of  the  Imperial 
government.  They  sent  him  out  in  a  frigate,  and  the 
next  day  sent  another,  with  an  understanding  that  they 
were  to  come  within  fifty  or  sixty  miles,  and  then  ap- 
proach till  they  discovered  each  other.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  man  of  long  sight  was  on  the  look-out  ;  but 
was  unable  to  discover  the  other  frigate  at  a  greater 
distance  than  the  generality  of  the  crew  ;  and  conse- 
quently was  obliged  to  take  his  station,  in  this  respect, 
with  other  mortals. 

The  Governor,  who  had  lately  deceased,  and  for 
whose  memory  the  inhabitants  ai)peared  to  entertain  the 
most  profound  respect,  seemed  to  have  been  peculiarly 
fitted  by  temper,  disposition,  and  judgment,  for  the 
very  troublesome  and  difficult  times,  in  which  it  was  his 
destiny  to   act.     A    more   despotic    commander,    one 


JACOniNS. 


141 


accustoinod  to  the  promptitude  of  military  obedience, 
and  strenuous  to  exact  it,  would  inevitably  have  per- 
ished in  the  early  period  of  those  turbulent  times,  when 
liberty  was  understood  to  be  the  uncontrolled  indul- 
gence of  every  passion  ;  and  each  day  allbrded  some 
practical  illustration  of  this  belief.  In  these  times  of 
anarchy,  General  INIaiartie  wisely  yielded  to  the  storm 
which  he  saw  it  would  be  destruction  to  resist  ;  and, 
by  an  apparent  acquiescence  in  measures  which  he  dis- 
approved, softened  or  ameliorated,  as  much  as  possible, 
those  acts  of  the  dominant  party  which  he  could  not 
control,  and  which  he  saw  would  be  injurious  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  island.  This  dominant  party  were  the 
Jacobins.  Professing  to  be  exclusively  the  true  friends 
of  liberty,  they  did  not  perceive  the  tyranny  of  perse- 
cuting and  denouncing  as  traitors  all  those  citizens,  who 
dared  to  express  opinions  opposed  to  their  own. 

In  close  alliance,  and  amalgamated  with  these,  were 
the  armaletirs  and  privateers-men  ;  a  numerous  class, 
composed  of  dashing  young  adventurers,  whose  object 
was  exclusively  the  acquirement  of  fortune,  unrestrain- 
ed by  any  law,  moral  or  divine.  Yet,  these  jeiincs  gens, 
as  they  were  called,  were  guilty  of  no  acts  of  cruelty 
that  I  saw  or  heard  of;  but,  on  the  contrary,  behaved, 
in  many  instances,  towards  those  whom  fortune  had 
thrown  into  their  power,  with  a  generosity  which  was 
higiily  honorable  to  them.  As  an  evidence  of  the  influ- 
ence which  these  jcunes  gens  possessed  over  the  mind 
of  the  good  old  superannuated  governor,  they,  for  the 
mere  purpose  of  securing  as  good  prize  a  rich  Ameri- 
can vessel,  which  had  been  sent  in  by  one  of  their 
privateers,  induced  him  to  commit  the  ridiculous  act 
of  formally  declaring  war    against  the  United    States. 


142 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


As  tliis  declaration  did  not  appear  in  any  of  tlie  period- 
icals of  the  time,  I  infer,  that  it  was  not  known  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  island. 

This  opinion  is,  moreover,  strengthened  by  its  ceas- 
ing to  be  acted  upon  as  soon  as  the  object  for  which  it 
was  made  was  secured  in  due  form.  For,  while  this 
act  was  in  full  force,  an  American  ship  arrived  from 
France,  came  in  with  the  flag  of  the  United  Slates 
displayed,  and  was  admitted  to  entry  without  a  question 
of  the  propriety  ;  the  cargo  was  disposed  of,  and,  when 
the  vessel  was  ready,  a  clearance  was  given  for  Bengal, 
with  as  little  delay  and  molestation  as  if  the  public 
authorities  were  unacquainted  with  the  hostile  act  in 
question.  Hence  it  was  apparent,  that  the  government 
had  no  disposition  to  enforce  the  observance  of  an  act 
which  had  been  extorted  from  it  ;  and  which  could  not 
fail  to  be  prejudicial  to  the  best  interests  of  the  island. 
At  the  same  time  it  was  not  less  apparent,  that  the 
party  ])ossessed  so  much  energy  and  strength  as  to  con- 
trol the  government  whenever  it  was  for  their  interest 
so  to  do  ;  while  their  respect  for  it  was  limited  to  the 
observance  of  unimportant  forms.  It  is,  therefore,  less 
surprising  that  they  should  have  committed  some  acts 
of  injustice  and  folly,  than  that  they  should  have  been 
restrained  by  any  bounds,  which  arrested  their  progress 
in  the  pursuit  of  fortune. 

The  preparations  for  expediting  our  ship  had  ad- 
vanced so  slowly,  that  the  20th  of  March  had  arrived 
before  every  thing  was  in  readiness.  A  gale  of  wind, 
amounting  almost  to  a  hurricane,  which  caused  the  ship 
to  bring  home  her  anchors  and  almost  drove  her  ashore, 
was  one  cause  of  embarrassment  ;  the  difficulty  of  col- 
lecting the  great  number  of  men  required  for  such  a 


SAIL,  FOR  KUUOl'E. 


143 


sliip  was  another  ;  wliilc  each  additional  day's  delay 
added  to  the  chance  of  the  arrival  of  the  hlockading 
sqiiachon,  which  would  keej)  us  shut  up  in  port  for  the 
space  of  another  month  or  two.  This  proportionally 
increased  tiic  anxiety  of  the  captain  of  the  Cronherg, 
whose  expenses,  if  detained  when  so  near  the  point 
of  sailing,  would  be  ruinous.  On  the  21st  of  March, 
therefore,  as  this  dreaded  interruption  had  not  occurred, 
the  winds  and  weather  favoring  our  departure,  and 
every  thing  being  ready,  we  joined  the  ship,  and  were 
accompanied  by  many  of  our  friends  as  far  as  the 
buoys.  There,  with  demonstrations  of  sincere  regard, 
and  good  wishes  for  a  successful  voyage,  they  left  us 
and  returned  to  the  shore.  On  board  all  was  bustle 
and  alacrity  in  spreading  that  crowd  of  sail  which  was 
invited  by  the  breeze,  and  which  soon  carried  us  out  of 
sight  of  the  island.  To  be  once  again  on  the  bosom  of 
old  ocean,  once  more  with  a  direct  and  definite  object 
in  view,  after  so  long  and  tedious  a  detention  at  the  Isle 
of  France,  excited  the  most  lively  feelings  of  satisfac- 
tion. To  be  sailing  in  so  magnificent  a  ship,  with  no 
other  care  than  to  make  myself  comfortable,  was  en- 
tirely a  novel  situation  to  me.  Nor  could  I  help  think- 
ing of  the  contrast  between  the  boat  in  which  1  came 
to  the  island,  and  the  ship  in  which  I  was  now  leaving 
it.  The  one  of  twenty-five  tons,  the  other  of  more 
than  nine  hundred  tons  ;  the  one  manned  with  four 
Lascars,  the  other  with  one  hundred  Europeans  ;  che 
accommodations  in  one  bearing  some  resemblance  to  u 
dog-kennel,  those  of  the  other,  light,  airy,  and  so  spa- 
cious, that  the  room  exclusively  appro|)riated  to  my 
use,  was  of  greater  dimensions  than  the  whole  capacity 
of  the  first  ;  the  one  very  little  exceeding  in  size  the 


144 


FIRST   VOYACn. 


long-boat  of  the  other  ;  but  I  need  not  enlarge  on  a 
di^erence  which  must  be  obvious  to  all,  after  staling 
the  relative  tonnage.  In  stateliness,  and  beauty  of  ap- 
pearance, in  symmetry  and  just  proportions  of  hull  and 
rigging,  in  strength  and  equipment,  and  in  the  elegance 
and  commodiousness  of  the  accommodations,  no  ship 
could  surpass  the  Cronberg.  Nothing  seemed  wanting 
to  render  the  passage  before  us  delightful,  excepting  a 
freedom  from  the  apprehension  of  meeting  some  one  of 
those  British  cruisers,  who  are  so  much  in  the  hal>it  of 
appropriating  to  their  own  use  the  property  of  other 
people. 

But  we  soon  discovered  that  we  were  mistaken  ;  and 
that  our  anxiety  was  to  be  augmer.ted  by  a  violation  of 
the  agreement,  on  ihj  part  of  the  captain,  relative  to 
taking  French  passengers.  We  had  scarcely  got  clear 
of  the  land,  when  a  person  of  this  description  came  up 
from  his  concealment.  Indignant  at  such  treatment, 
we  immediately  demanded  an  explanation,  and  were 
told  he  was  not  French,  but  a  Swiss  gentleman.  Such 
a  miserable  subterfuge  did  not  mend  the  matter  ;  and 
we  expressed  our  opinions  on  the  subject  in  terms  that 
the  deception  naturally  called  forth,  and  which  were 
not  conducive  to  that  harmony  between  the  captain  and 
passcngesb,  so  desirable  to  both  parties. 

On  the  twenty-third  day  after  leaving  the  Isle  of 
Fiance  we  passed  the  longitude  of  the  Cape  of  (Jood 
Hope,  nearly  four  degrees  to  the  south  of  it.  The 
only  vessels  seen  during  this  lime  were  two  shi|)s  in 
company,  which  kej)t  steadily  on  their  course.  Pur- 
suing our  way  to  the  northwest  we  jjassed  the  latitude 
of  St.  Helena  on  the  28th  of  April,  at  the  distance  of 
about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  west  of  it.     Having  by 


ni; 


AKRIVE  ON   THE  COAST   OF   .NOK'.VAV, 


145 


and 

tliat 

IV  ore 

I  and 


le  01 
lood 
The 

|ps  in 
Tur- 

titudc 

Ice  of 
igby 


ibis  liino  had  ample  opjiortunity  of  trying  our  ship  in 
every  variety  of  weather,  we  found  her  all  that  could 
be  desired,  —  a  good  sea  boat,  easy  to  her  rigging, 
sailing  and  steering  well,  staunch  and  strong,  and  ex- 
ceedingly comfortable. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  being  in  latitude  44^  north,  and 
longitude  32^  west,  we  spoke  an  American  schooner 
bound  to  Lisbon,  wiio  reported  a  continuation  of  the 
war  in  Europe,  but  knew  nothing  relative  to  the  politi- 
cal state  of  J)enniark.  With  strong  westerly  gales  we 
made  rapid  advances  towards  the  Orkney  Islands,  and 
saw  thcMi  on  the  9th.  The  next  day  we  passed  by 
Fair  Island  |)assage,  near  to  which  we  saw  a  ship  boinid 
to  the  westward  ;  and  the  day  following,  when  abreast 
the  iNaze  of  Norway,  we  spoke  a  Danish  fishing- boat, 
and  received  the  astounding  information  of  war  between 
England  and  ])enmark.  We  were  told,  that  the  fleet 
of  the  former,  after  having  bombarded  the  Danish  capi- 
tal, were  yet  in  its  tieighbourhood,  and  that  we  could 
not  proceetl  further  towards  Elsinoie  without  being  in- 
tercepted by  a  British  cruis(>r.  l^irecting  our  course, 
therefore,  more  in  shore,  with  a  view  of  entering  a  [)ort 
in  Norway,  on  approaching  it,  we  fired  seveial  gnus  for 
a  pilot,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  one,  who  conducted 
us  into  I'^leckery,  where  we  ancliored  towards  evening 
near  iIk;  fort.  An  ofllcer  immediately  boarded  ns,  and 
confirmed  the  information  uc  liad  received  from  the 
lishernKui.  Our  passage,  of  only  eighty-four  days,  had 
been,  in  every  respect,  (he  [)leasantest  1  had  ever 
made. 

Being  securely  anchored  under  the  guns  of  a  Danish 
fortress,  we  could  not  help  reflecting  upon  the  risks 
we  had  encountered  ;  so  much  greater  than  we  had  an- 


\0l.,     1. 


13 


146 


FIRST  VOYAGE. 


licipated,  or  would  have  taken,  had  we  been  aware  of 
their  extent.  We  contrasted  our  present  situation  with 
what  it  would  have  been  if  we  had  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  a  cruiser.  And  our  emotions  of  gratitude,  of  satis- 
faction and  delight,  as  we  thougiit  of  these  things,  were 
in  proportion  to  the  importance  of  the  object  attained, 
and  the  dangers  escaped  in  the  attainment.  Tn  high 
spirits  at  the  unexpected  demand  for  our  cargo,  and  its 
consequently  increased  value,  we  set  out  early  in  the 
morning  after  our  arrival  for  Christiansand,  wliere  the 
Danish  Commodore  lay,  witli  a  frigate  and  several  cor- 
vettes. Our  first  visit  was  to  the  Commodore,  who 
congratulated  us  on  an  escape,  which  he  termed  almost 
miraculous,  and  advised,  that,  without  delay,  the  ship 
should  be  brought  to  Christiansand,  as  he  considered 
her  position  at  Fleckery  an  luisafe  one.  Accordingly, 
as  soon  as  practicable,  this  advice  was  followed. 

Perceiving  it  to  be  impossible  for  the  ship  to  go  to 
Copenhagen  at  present,  and  uncertain  how  long  this 
state  of  things  would  continue,  Mr.  Shaler  ami  myself 
determmed  to  proceed  thilhcr  without  delay.  Vov  tliis 
purpose  we  engaged  a  passage  in  a  coasting  vessel,  (lien 
on  tiie  point  of  sailing  for  Nybourg.  We  dined  at  the 
public  house  in  Christiansand,  at  the  table  (riiolc,  with 
a  nun)ber  of  young  men  of  tiie  country,  whose  piu'suits 
appeared  to  be  mercantile.  I  supposed  myself  to  he 
generally  acquainted  with  the  Kuropean  custonis  on 
such  occasions  ;  but  a  ceremony  was  observed  here, 
which  I  afterwards  found  to  prevail  in  hcninark; 
though  I  believe  it  is  peculiar  to  that  country.  When 
dinner  is  ended,  all  rise  together,  and,  bowing  to  each 
other,  and  shaking  hands,  say,  "  Much  good  may  it  do 
you,"  "■'  Cod   bless  you,'"  <!!cc.  ;  and  this  seems   to  be 


T 

accou 
infornii 


VISIT   COPENHAGEN. 


147 


IS 

,<lf 


10 

ih 

litS 

l)e 

on 

) 
lien 

acli 
do 
be 


a  piece  of  ctiqiictle  of  siuh  universal  observance,  tbat 
a  neglect  of  it  would  be  considered  as  unmannerly  as 
the  omission  to  drink  boallhs  would  be  in  England. 

The  wind  being  unfavorable  on  tlie  13tli,  we  re- 
mained at  Cbristiansand.  In  the  course  of  the  night  it 
came  round  favorable  ;  and  at  dawn  we  were  called  to 
embark  ;  .Mr.  Slialer,  myself,  and  my  man  George,  all 
of  whom,  in  a  general  passport,  were  styled  American 
merchants.  The  third  morning  after  sailing,  v\e  arrived 
at  Nybonrg,  having  had  a  very  comfortable  and  pleas- 
ant passage,  to  which  the  captain  greatly  contributed, 
not  less  by  an  attention  to  our  wants,  than  by  manifest- 
ing one  of  the  most  amiable.,  cheerful,  and  happy  char- 
acters we  had  ever  met.  On  the  same  day  we  crotsed 
the  ]?('lt,  in  the  ferry-boat,  to  Corsenr,  and  slept  there, 
having  ordered  post  horses  and  a  wagon  to  be  ready 
in  the  morning.  Accordingly,  at  seven  o'clock  on  the 
iSth,  we  set  out  from  Corseur  in  a  very  clumsy  wag- 
on without  springs.  But  the  roads  were  very  good  ; 
and  the  fields  of  luxuriant  vegetation  and  beautiful  ver- 
dure, which  met  the  eye  on  every  side,  were  the  more 
striking,  attractive,  and  pleasing  to  us,  from  having  been 
so  long  accustomed  to  the  parched  earth,  and  burnt 
vcgcialion  of  a  tropical  climate.  We  noticed,  on  cither 
siile  of  the  road,  many  of  those  mounds  which  are  said 
to  cover  the  ashes  of  ancient  chiefs  or  heroes.  Ar- 
riving at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening,  at  Copenhagen, 
we  drove  to  Muller's  hotel,  a  magnificent  house,  where 
we  were  provided  with  comfortable  apartments  and 
good   entertainment. 

Three  years  had  now  elapsed  since  T  had  had  any 
accounts  from  home.  Kagcr,  therefore,  to  obtain  some 
information  relative  to  my  connexions,  I  went  out,  early 


143 


llliHT  VOVAGE. 


in  iho  morning,  in  pursuit  of  some  of  my  countrymen, 
anil  accidentally  met  witli  an  old  acquaintance,  recently 
from  Salem,  wlio  assured  me  of  the  welfare  of  my 
friends,  only  a  few  wei'ks  before.  Thus,  every  thing 
seemed  to  concur  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  my  good 
fortune,  and  to  call  forth  corresponding  emotions  of 
gratitude  to  the  great  (Jiver  of  all  good. 

Although  peace,  between  Kngiand  and  Denmark, 
had  been  some  days  restored,  and  orders,  in  conse- 
quence, had  been  despatched  to  Norway  for  the  ship  to 
proceed,  yet  she  did  not  arrive  at  Copeidiagen  before 
the  IGlli  of  .July.  Hence,  we  passed  a  month  with  no 
other  occupation  than  sharing  in  th?  amusements  of  the 
city  and  its  environs. 

There  are  few  cities  in  Europe,  which,  on  a  first 
view,  strike  a  stranger  more  agreeably  than  Copen- 
hagen. The  size  and  beauty  of  the  squares,  the  breadth 
and  cleanliness  of  the  streets,  and  the  general  ajjpear- 
ance  of  the  houses,  both  public  and  private,  are  proofs 
of  tlie  wealth  and  enterprise  of  the  city,  and  of  the 
excellence  of  its  police  A  closer  examination  will 
convince  him,  that  all  irregularities  or  nuisances,  which 
are  oflensive  to  the  public,  are  immediately  corrected  ; 
that  there  are  no  beggars  to  be  met  with  ;  ami  that  there 
is  the  most  perfect  security  for  person  and  property. 
The  ram|)arls,  which  nearly  encircle  the  city,  are  bor- 
dered with  a  double  row  of  lime  trees,  ollering  an  ex- 
tensive and  delightful  walk  to  all  classes,  ami  an  (Ujualiy 
delightfid  ride,  but  for  a  few  privileged  [)ersons  oidy. 
The  gardens  of  the  Kosenhcrg  palace,  which  Ls  within 
the  city,  are  thrown  open  in  summer,  and  afl'ord  a  cool 
and  pheasant  lounge  for  the  gay  and  idle  of  both  soKes. 
But  the  resort  most  frequented   is   the  garden   of  the 


Da 


l)i:SCIUI'T10N    OF    C'OPEMIAGKX. 


149 


^ 


royal  summer  residence,  Fredericksburg  palace,  about 
two  miles  west  of  the  cily.  These  grounds  are  delight- 
ful, and,  on  Sundays  and  liolydays,  are  crowded  with 
a  gay  assemblage  of  all  classes,  who,  in  their  best  attire, 
meet  to  see  and  to  be  seen. 

On  the  way  to  these  gardens,  a  little  beyond  the 
western  gate  of  the  city,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  road, 
is  erected  a  very  handsome  obelisk,  of  brown  stone,  on 
a  square  base  of  marble  ;  and  on  each  corner  of  this 
base  is  a  handsome  marble  figure.  The  four  are  em- 
blematic of  Peace,  Plenty,  Content,  and  Industry.  The 
height  of  tlie  obelisk  is  forty-eight  or  fifty  feet  ;  and  its 
object  is  to  commemorate  a  circumstance  highly  inter- 
esting to  the  philanthropist,  and  to  the  advocate  of  civil 
liberty  and  the  rights  of  man,  —  the  emancipation  of 
the  Danish  ])easantry,  which  took  place  January  1st, 
1800.  On  one  square  of  the  base  is  written  (in 
Danish),  "  To  Christian  VIF.  King  of  the  Danes  and 
Norwegians,  from  united  and  grateful  citizens."  On 
the  opposite,  "  The  foundation  stone  was  laid  by  Fred- 
erick, son  of  the  king,  the  friend  of  the  people,  1792." 
On  the  sides  of  the  obelisk,  "  The  king  is  sensible, 
that  civil  liberty,  determined  by  just  laws,  produces  a 
love  of  country,  and  courage  to  defend  it,  the  desire 
of  instruction,  the  taste  for  labor,  and  the  hope  of  hap- 
piness :  he  has  ordered,  that  servitude  shall  cease,  that 
order  and  promptitude  preside  in  the  execution  of  rural 
laws  ;  in  order  that  the  cultivator,  free,  courageous,  en- 
lightened, industrious,  and  good,  may  become  an  es- 
timaliic  and  happy  citi/en." 

The  great  palace,  which  was  burnt  in  1795,  and 
which  was  one  of  the  most  magnificent  in  Kiu'opc,  is 
yet  in  ruins  ;  and  it  is  supposed,  that  the  expense  of 
13* 


150 


riK^T    VOVAGli. 


removing  the  (inn  ami  massy  walls  would  scarcely  be 
less  tliaii  that  of  repairing  it.  In  the  palace  of  Rosen- 
berg, an  old-fashioned  pile,  which  has  been  bnilt  more 
than  two  centuries,  are  kept  the  crown  and  jewels,  a 
very  liandsome  and  com[)lote  dining  equipage  of  the 
purest  gold,  silver  and  mosaic  tables,  ricli  coronation 
and  wedding  dresses,  the  sword  taken  froiri  Chailes  the 
Twelfth  when  he  fell  near  Frederickshall,  many  fine 
paintings,  &c.  This  palace  is  uniidiabited.  The  royal 
winter  residence  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  in 
the  beautiful  square  of  Amelieiisberg,  in  the  centre  of 
which  is  a  fine  equestrian  statue  of  Frederick  V.  erect- 
ed at  the  expense  of  the  Asiatic  Company. 

The  piddic  libraries  are  laige  and  valuable,  and,  with 
proper  introduction,  are  alike  accessible  to  the  stranger 
and  citizen.  The  royal  museum  is  extensive,  and  con- 
tains a  great  variety  of  the  most  curious  jjroductions, 
natural  and  iirtificial,  which  usually  constitute  such  col- 
lections. There  arc  two  iheatres,  which  are  said  to 
be  well  supported  ;  arid,  judging  from  their  crowded 
state  when  1  have  been  present,  1  think  this  may  be  the 
case  ;  but  both  houses  arc  on  a  small  scale. 

The  number  of  churches  appears  to  be  in  proper  pro- 
portion to  the  extent  of  the  city  and  number  of  iidiabi- 
tants  ;  and  some  of  then)  are  large  and  handsome  ;  but, 
as  far  as  I  had  opportunity  of  observing,  they  appeared 
to  be  but  thinly  attended  ;  and,  for  the  most  part,  by 
the  poorer  class.  All  denominations  of  religion  are 
tolerated  by  this  government.  Among  the  population 
of  this  city  arc  many  Israelites.  Their  occiq)ation 
is  principally  that  of  brokers,  dealers,  and  money- 
changers, and  some  of  them  are  very  rich  ;  but  here, 
as  elsewhere,  they  hold  a  subordinate  rank  in   society. 


. 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  DANES. 


151 


Still  their  situation  in  this  city  is  eligible,  compared 
with  that  of  their  brethren  in  many  other  parts  of  I'lii- 
rope  ;  and  there  are  instances  of  the  King's  having  con- 
ferred on  some  of  them  distingnished  marks  of  honor. 

The  character  of  the  ])anes  has  long  been  estajjlished 
for  bravery,  loyalty,  learning,  and  virtue  ;  and  expe- 
rience has  taught  me,  that  it  is  not  less  remarkable  for 
humanity,  generosity,  and  those  qualities  of  mind  and 
disposition,  which  render  the  social  intercourse  every 
thing  which  is  desirable.  Like  most  of  (he  northern 
people  of  Europe,  they  have  a  strong  predilection  for 
the  customs  and  habits  of  their  ancestors  ;  especially 
the  peasantry,  with  whom  the  introduction  of  the  im- 
proved tools  of  husbandry  and  better  mode  of  cultiva- 
tion has  been  attended,  after  many  eflbrts  by  the  more 
enlightened  citizens,  with  only  partial  success,  ^^'here 
no  advantage  is  to  be  derived  from  innovation  it  is  not 
attempted  ;  and  the  night  watch  of  the  city  now  repeat 
the  same  doleful  ditty,  that  has,  probably,  been  in  use 
for  some  centuries.  In  addition  to  the  hour,  which 
they  name,  they  have  a  long  moral  sentence,  varying 
for  each  hour,  and  which,  being  sung  in  the  harmonious 
manner  so  peculiar  to  watchmen,  is  particulaily  edifying. 

These  remarks,  however,  do  not  apply  to  the  fairer 
part  of  creation,  who  watch  the  progress  of  im))rove- 
ment,  in  dress  and  etiquette,  with  such  diligence,  that 
the  fasliion  of  a  new  boimet,  or  any  deviation  in  the 
mode  of  salutation,  or  of  visiting,  in  Paris,  is  at  once 
known  and  adopted  by  them.  Hence,  the  change  in 
the  fashion  of  their  hai)iliments  keeps  pace  with  the 
ever-changing  modes  which  are  imported  ;  and  hence, 
the  belles  of  Copenhagen  are  as  justly  remarked  for 
good   taste  in  dress,  as  for  fine   persons  and   graceful 


152 


FIRST   VOYAGE. 


manners.  Tlic  love  of  exercise,  or  the  desire  of  see- 
ing and  being  seen,  or  perhaps  botli,  induces  thcin  to 
frequent  the  public  walks,  in  great  numbers,  every  fine 
day  ;  where  they  are  admired  anil  courted  by  the  mili- 
tary and  the  idle  young  men,  who  usually  abound  in 
most  of  the  large  cities  of  Europe.  T'lcy  possess  the 
facility  of  acrpiiring  languages,  which  seems  to  be  pe- 
culiar to  the  northern  people  ;  and  it  is  not  uncommon 
to  meet  with  young  ladies  who  speak  three  or  four  dif- 
ferent languages.  Indeed,  the  subject  both  of  male  and 
female  eilucation  receives  here  that  attention  which  its 
great  importance  demands. 

The  safe  arrival  of  the  ship  from  Norway  seemed  to 
close  the  risk  on  this  adventure  ;  and  the  occupation  it 
immediately  gave,  in  assisting  to  receive  and  sell  the 
cargo,  was  a  very  pleasant  one  ;  especially  as  coflee 
was  of  ready  sale,  and  bore  such  a  price  as  to  produce 
a  very  handsotne  profit.  At  the  same  time  that  I  was 
realizing  the  amount  of  this  ])roperty,  I  had  accounts 
from  America  of  the  safe  arrival  there  of  that  ]iart  of 
the  proceeds  of  my  northwest  voyage,  which  had  been 
left  to  be  shipped,  and  which,  combined  with  this,  ren- 
dered me,  as  to  pecuniary  afiairs,  very  independent. 


KEMARKS. 


153 


V 

! 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Renmrks. —  Associated  wiili  Mr.  Slialcr.  —  Leave  Copenhngen. — 
Arrive  at  llauilnirijh. —  Pureliase  a  Vessel.  —  Decision  as  to  the 
ComiiKind. —  Count  de  llrjuiHsilinn.  — Peace  of  Amiens.  —  Dis- 
couraijinij  I'rospt.'cls.  —  \'essel  near  being  lost  in  the  River.  —  I'ro- 
cecd  to  Sea  — Arrive  at  firand  f'anaria.  —  Ajjfiearance  of  the 
Town.  —  Departure.  —  Arrival  at  Ilio  Janeiro  —  An  .\s.sassination. 
—  ('onvent  of  Menedictincs. —  Bay  of  Rio.  —  Departure.  —  Cape 
Horn.  —  Lose  a  -Man.  —  Arrive  at  Valparaiso. 

The  voyage,  wliicli  was  begun  with  such  very  con- 
tracted means,  at  Havre  de  Grace,  in  the  autumn  of 
1797,  and  was  com|)leted  by  my  arrival  at  Copenhagen, 
in  the  sinnmer  of  ISO  I,  had  been  crowned  with  a 
success  far  surpassing  my  most  sanguine  anticipations. 
The  fortune  1  iiad  gained  was  amply  sufliclent  to  enable 
me  to  live  independentiy  in  the  moderate  and  unosten- 
tatious style  which  I  proposed  to  myself.  But  1  had 
been  too  long  accustomed  to  a  life  of  activity  and  ex- 
citement, to  be  reconciled  to  one  of  indulgence  and 
repose.  Indeed,  it  is  generally  acknowledged  that  the 
stiimdus  for  engaging  in  new  adventures,  and  incurring 
new  risks,  is  increased  in  proportion  to  the  success 
attendant  on  the  preceding  ones.  This  stimulus  with 
me  would  have  been   great  umler  any  circumstances  ; 


but  when,  as  at  this  time,  I  could  have,  as 


my 


associate 


in  a  voyage  round  the  world,  my  tried  friend  and 
fellow-passenger  from  the  Isle  of  France,  William 
Shaler,  a  congenial  spirit,  the   temptation  was  irresisti- 


154 


SECOND  VOYAGE. 


blc.  On  our  late  passage  together  we  had  discussed 
the  project  of  a  voyage  to  the  west  coast  of  America  ; 
and  indeed,  we  had  so  far  agreed  upon  it,  as  to  make 
it  dependent  alone  on  the  circumstance  of  meeting  a 
suitable  American  vessel,  whit  h  could  be  obtained  at 
a  reasonable  price.  None  such  being  procurable  at 
Copenhagen,  and  aware  of  the  extensive  American 
commerce  with  Ilamburgli,  we  determined  to  i  -oceed 
to  that  city,  in  the  expectation  of  procuring  sucli  a  one 
as  we  desired. 

Accordingly,  as  soon  as  we  had  settled  our  business 
at  Copenhagen,  we  took  j)assage  in  the  packet  for  Kiel, 
early  in  the  month  of  August  ;  but,  owing  to  unceasing 
adverse  winds,  our  progress  was  very  slow.  (Jur  fellow- 
passengers  consisted  of  two  Swedish  barons,  a  miUlaire 
of  the  same  nation,  a  Swiss  savant,  and  three  Danish 
merchants,  each  of  whom  was  provided  with  an  enor- 
mous pipe,  the  frequent  use  of  which  seemed  to  be  no 
trifling  solace  during  the  tedious  hours  passed  on  board 
the  packet. 

After  having  been  four  days  on  board,  during  which, 
from  the  absence  of  every  comfort  of  accommodation 
and  food,  we  suffered  greater  privations  than  are  usually 
experienced  on  a  passage  across  the  Atlantic,  we  were 
all  very  glad  to  be  landed  on  the  Island  of  Femeren. 
Here  we  took  post-horses  for  Hamburgh,  and  arrived 
there  on  the  14th  of  August.  We  had  some  doubts 
whether  our  appearance,  having  had  no  opportunity  of 
making  our  toilettes  for  several  days,  was  not  so  much 
against  us  as  to  prevent  the  landlord's  admitting  us,  or 
whether,  as  they  said,  their  houses  were  so  full  that 
they  could  not  ;  for',  after  having  unsuccessfully  tried 
at  three  different  hotels,  we  were  fnially  obliged  to  put 


runfiFASK  A  vES8i:i, 


lOS 


i 


11)1  wiili  rooms  in  tlie  fourth  story  of  llio  Kramorampt- 
liiiys.  Further  observation,  however,  convinced  us 
tliat  the  city  was  uncommonly  crowded  ;  as,  in  achlition 
to  the  nudlitude  of  strangers,  who  were  there  for  com- 
mercial purposes,  there  were  computed  to  be  thirty 
thousand  French  emigrants.  Hence  tiie  diflicuhy  we 
cxj)erienced  in  finding  h)(lgings.  After  some  days, 
we  succeeded  in  procuring  rooms  at  a  private  house 
in  the  great  St.  Michael's  street. 

It  was  soon  obvious,  that  we  sliould  meet  with  no 
end)arrassment  in  finding  here  a  vessel  suited  to  our 
purpose  ;  for  the  number  of  American  vessels  in  port 
ailbrded  us  a  choice,  almost  erpial  to  what  is  usual  in 
any  ong  of  the  great  commercial  ports  in  the  United 
.States.  In  selecting  one,  on  board  of  which  there  was 
a  prospect  of  passing  two  or  three  years,  and  in  coun- 
tries where  repairs  and  articles  of  erpiipmcnt  were  of 
doubtful  attainment,  it  was  important  to  unite  the  prop- 
erties of  strength,  durability  of  material,  swiftness  of 
sailing,  capacity  for  carrying,  and.comloriable  accom- 
modations. Such  an  one  was  oii'ercd  us  in  the  brig 
Lelia  IJyrd  of  Portsmouth,  Virginia,  of  a  hundred  and 
seventy-live  tons  burden,  which  we  purchased  at  a  fair 
price. 

While  my  friend  and  associate  went  to  Bordeaux,  to 
settle  some  afl'airs  of  his  own,  1  remained  at  Hamburgh 
to  attend  to  cop|)ering  and  repairing  the  vessel,  to  en- 
larging and  improving  the  accommodations,  and  to 
purchasing  the  cargo,  which  we  bad  agreed  should  be 
embarked.  These  objects  were  accomplished  and  the 
vessel  laden  by  the  end  of  September  ;  at  which  time 
Mr.  Slialer  returned  from  Bordeaux.  It  now  became 
necessary  to  set  about  shipping  our  men  ;   but  before 


15C 


SECOND   VOYACIO,  —  LKMA   llVlll*. 


this  couUl  be  done,  it  was  requisite  to  determine  which 
of  us  should  go  ill  the  capacity  of  master.  As  hoth 
were  e(|iially  c()m|)etciit  to  ilic  task,  and  neither  ambi- 
tious of  it,  llic  subject  had  not  even  been  mentioned. 
When  it  became  absolutely  necessary  to  settle  the 
question,  we  agreed  to  decide  it  by  lot.  The  decision 
was  in  favor  of  Mr.  Shaler,  who  look  command  and 
enlisted  the  men,  while  I  embarked  in  the  cajiacily  of 
supercargo,  but  with  an  understanding  tiiat  these  desig- 
nations were  only  for  form's  sake  ;  and  that  I'le  duties 
of  each  station  were  to  be  reciprocally  performed  by 
each.  Our  interests  in  the  vessel,  and  in  the  cargo 
being  etpial,  there  existed  no  inecpiality  in  our  ])owers, 
or  in  the  profits,  of  whatever  description,  that  might  be 
realized. 

During  our  sojourn  at  Hamburgh,  we  had  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  Count  de  llouissillon,  a  young  Polish 
nobleman,  of  superior  education  and  talents.  lie  had 
fought  for  the  liberty  of  his  country,  as  aid-de-camp 
to  the  unfortunate  ^iosciusco  ;  and  being  one  of  the 
proscribed,  was  living  in  Hamburgh  on  slender  means, 
and  without  occupation.  In  the  sot-icty  of  a  gentleman 
of  such  intelligence,  accomplishments,  and  companion- 
able traits,  we  knew  that  we  should  be  repaid  for  the 
additional  expense  of  taking  liiui  as  a  cnmpagnon  de 
voyage^  and  we  agreed  to  invite  him  to  accompany  us 
as  such.  He  had  never  been  at  sea,  and  a  voyage 
round  the  world  to  a  man  like  him,  reared  in  the  inte- 
rior of  a  continent,  odered  such,  attractions  that  he 
acceded  to  the  proposal  not  only  without  hesitation, 
but  with  expressions  of  great  satisfaction  and  delight. 

Various  causes  tended  so  to  retard  our  labors,  that 
it  was  late  in  the  month  of  October  before  every  thing 


i)i.s(.'oi;iiAf;i.\(;  riu)!5i'i:("r.s. 


157 


lon- 

llie 

de 

us 

iilo- 
he 
ion, 

ihat 


img 


wns  ready  for  our  clcpnrUire.  Tn  the  mean  time  wo 
receiveil  iiiforniation  of  llie  sudden  and  unexpected 
termination  of  the  war  belweon  France  and  J'jiglanU 
by  tlie  treaty  of  Amiens,  an  event  which  had  a  most 
inauspicious  hearinij;  on  the  prospects  of  our  vo)a;^e. 
The  connuerce  of  Spain  uiili  iier  colonies,  which  had 
been  for  so  many  years  anniiiilnted  by  the  all-powerful 
marine  of  (Jrcat  IJritain,  would  be  ajrain  renewed.  By 
the  regular  introduction,  in  S|)at.ish  ships,  of  the  man- 
ufiictures  of  Kuro])C,  their  hitherto  exorbitant  prices 
would  be  reduced,  which  would  proportionally  lessen 
the  inducement  which  had  before  existed  for  obtain- 
ing them  in  an  irregular  manner.  It  was  obvious, 
therefore,  that  a  voyage  to  Chili  and  Peru  coidd  now 
be  made  only  under  the  most  discouraging  aus|)iccs  ; 
as  the  same  cause  which  operated  lO  enable  the  inhab- 
itants to  supply  themselves  with  manufactures,  would 
also  operate  greatly  to  increase  tlie  danger  to  foreign 
vessels,  l)y  the  increased  number  and  vigilance  of  the 
guardacostas,  hitherto  confined  to  their  ports  by  the 
presence  of  a  superior,  hostile  force.  But  a  retreat  in 
this  advanced  state  of  the  business,  by  a  resale  of  the 
vessel  and  cargo,  could  not  be  eflected  without  great 
loss  ;  and  although  this  might  have  been  the  most  pru- 
dent j)art,  we  could  not  reconcile  our  minds  to  it  ;  and, 
therefore,  determined  to  prosecute  the  voyage. 

Before  we  could  act  on  this  decision,  all  our  embar- 
rassments and  fears  for  the  future  came  very  near  being 
terminated  by  the  loss  of  the  vessel,  while  yet  in  the 
river.  The  day  after  her  anchoring  ofl'  Glucksladt, 
whither  she  had  been  taken  by  the  pilot,  a  tremendous 
storm  occurred,  which  brought  in  the  tide  so  as  to  inun- 

VOL.    I.  14 


153 


SECOND  voYAf;r:.  —  i.nr.iA  hvkd. 


date  all  the  lower  part  of  the  city.  The  duiiicige  in 
the  river,  by  the  loss  ant!  injury  of  vessels  and  the  de- 
struction of  property,  was  very  great.  Our  vessel 
dragged  her  anchors  some  distance,  and  was  in  ininii- 
nenl  danger  of  going  on  the  ])icrs  of  (jl  f^kstadt,  uiicre 
a  total  loss  would  prohahly  have  ensueu.  One  (able 
parted,  and  the  pilot  was  urgent  for  cutting  away  the 
masts,  but  the  mate  would  not  consent,  and  we  finally 
escaped  with  only  the  loss  of  the  stern  boat,  whicli  was 
taken  from  the  davits  by  the  violence  of  the  sea. 

Having  recovered  our  anchor,  and  purchased  a  new 
boat,  we  took  the  first  favorable  opportunity  to  proceed 
down  the  river,  and  after  a  temporary  anchoring  at 
Cuxhaven,  put  to  sea  on  the  8th  of  iXovembcr,  IhiOl, 
in  company  with  a  dozen  sail  of  ships  and  brigs,  which 
like  ourselves  were  bound  to  the  westward.  The 
superiority  of  sailing  of  the  Lelia  IJyrd  was  soon  mani- 
fest, as,  at  the  eN|)iration  of  four  hours,  but  two  of  the 
number  that  sailed  with  us  were  discernible  from  the 
deck,  having  been  left  far  astern.  The  wind  throughout 
the  night  and  the  next  day  was  light  and  variable,  and 
our  progress  in  consecpience  so  slow,  that  w  j  did  not 
pass  JJover  till  the  loth,  ofl"  which  we  were  boarded 
by  a  boat  from  that  place,  with  the  ofier  of  pilotage, 
or  of  forwarding  letters  ;  neither  of  which  services  had 
we  any  occasion  for.  Proceeding  on  our  course,  we 
passed  in  sight  of  the  Isle  of  L  sliant  with  a  fnu;  breeze 
at  norlhuest,  and,  without  any  occurrence  wortliy  of 
notice,  came  in  sight  of  the  Island  of  CJrand  C'anaria, 
on  the  28lh,  where,  altliough  only  twenty  days  out, 
we  determined  to  stop  for  an  additional  su|iply  of  fruit, 
vegetables,  &.c.  We  therefore  anchcio(l  next  morn- 
ing in  twelve  fathoms,  sandy  bottom,  about  three  miles 


GRAND  CANARIA. 


159 


lad 
ue 
r/e 
of 
•ia, 
)iit, 
lit, 
ru- 
les 


from  the  town,  which,   from  this  position,  presented  a 
very  pleasing  and  somewhat  imposing  appearance. 

After  the  custoniar)  visit  from  the  pubHc  authorities, 
Messrs.  Shaler,  Ronissil'.on,  and  myself,  acconijianied 
by  the  ca,  lain  of  the  port,  as  cicerone,  went  on  shore 
to  set?  the  town,  aid  to  ascertain  it  our  wants  could  be 
supplit^d  without  losing  too  much  time.  We  dined 
with  the  ("".plain  of  the  j)ort,  who  engaged  to  procure 
for  us  the  stores  of  which  we  had  need.  Palma  de 
Canaria,  which  is  the  name  of  the  town,  is  the  most 
considerable  place  on  the  island,  numbering  about 
twelve  thousand  inhabitants,  who  are  a  iiardy  and  in- 
dustrious race,  living  principally  by  (he  cultivation  of 
the  soil.  It  is  the  residence  of  a  bishop,  whose  reve- 
nue is  said  to  exceed  one  hinulred  thousand  dollars  per 
annum.  The  to'. ;n  is  pleasantly  situated,  on  a  plain 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the 
island.  The  cathedral  is  built  of  stone,  and  of  dimen- 
sions and  site,  which  make  it  the  most  conspicuous 
object  on  approaching  the  town  from  sea.  The  bish- 
op's palace,  the  hospital,  and  the  convents,  of  which 
there  are  three  of  nuns  and  two  of  friars,  make  an  iai- 
posiug  appearance  ;  but  the  private  houses  in  which 
wealth,  if  it  exists,  is  usually  displayed,  do  not  gen- 
erally alTord  proofs  of  case  and  independence  in  the 
circumstances  of  their  proprietors.  We  foiuul  provis- 
ions of  all  kinds  to  be  extremely  scarce  and  dear. 
Three  fourths  of  a  dollar  was  the  price  of  a  moderate 
sized  fowl,  and  sheep  and  pigs  in  proportion.  Under 
these  circumstances,  we  took  on  board  no  greater  sup- 
ply than  would  be  snfllcicnt  to  last  us  to  Kio  Janeiro, 
where  we  had  determined  to  stop,  with  some  hope  of 
being  able  there  to  dispose  of  our  cargo. 


!'^ 


IGO 


SKCOXI)  VOYAOr.—  LF,I,IA   r.\  RP. 


On  the  2cl  of  December,  having  made  our  acknowl- 
edgments to  the  captain  of  the  |)ort  lor  his  civilities, 
and  taken  leav(>  of  him,  \vc  went  on  board,  weighed 
anchor,  and  made  all  sail  to  the  soiithwaid.  Tiie  trade- 
winds  were  inuisualiy  light,  the  sea  proportionally 
smooth,  and  the  weather  serene  and  pleasant.  Never- 
theless our  little  vessel  felt  the  impulse  of  the  sligiitest 
breeze,  and  would  make  considerable  progress  at  times 
when  many  vessels  could  not  keep  steerage  way  ;  hence 
we  had  no  a]>prehension  of  long  delay  in  passing  the 
calm  latitudes.  On  the  20lh,  having  crossed  the  equa- 
tor in  longitude  26-*  west,  we  soon  took  the  southeast 
trade-wind,  which  for  several  days  blew  with  such 
strength  as  obliged  us  to  single  reef  our  topsails.  As 
is  usual  in  advancing  southward,  the  wind  became  more 
easterly,  which,  enabling  us  to  set  our  studding  s.iils, 
carried  us  onward  at  the  rate  of  ten  to  eleven  miles  an 
hour,  for  several  days  in  succession,  and  gave  us  prom- 
ise of  soon  reaching  our  destined  poit.  On  the  1st  of 
January,  1802,  we  came  in  sight  of  Ca])e  Frio,  and 
next  day,  towards  evening,  came  to  anchor  in  seven 
fathoms,  outside  the  fort  of  Santa  Cruz,  it  being  calm 
and  the  tide  setting  against  us. 

Soon  after  anchoring  we  were  visited  by  the  captain 
of  the  port,  accompanied  by  an  oflicer  from  the  guard- 
ship,  who,  after  making  themselves  acquainted  with  the 
object  of  our  visit,  desired  lis  to  remain  in  our  present 
position  till  the  will  of  their  superiors  should  be  made 
known  to  us,  in  the  morning.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as 
the  sea  bree/e  set  in,  tli^  captain  of  the  port  again  came 
on  board  with  the  re(juisite  permission  to  enter  the  port. 
Then,  weighing  anchor,  he  conducted  us  to  a  very 
snug  birth  within  the  Ilha  das  Cobras,  where  we  mooreil 


mo    JA.NKIKO. 


IGl 


J 


i-cii 


near  an  American  and  a  Danish  ship,  the  only  foreign- 
ers in  port,  and  wht-re  we  appeared  to  b(;  [jerfectly  rdiel- 
tered  from  the  influence  of  any  of  the  stoj'ins  or  liurri- 
canes,  uhicli  are  pecuhar  to  the  tropical  regions. 

Tiie  next  morning  we  were  visited,  with  much  for- 
niahiv,  hy  the  imuiicipal  aiilliorities,  accompanied  by 
the  interpreter,  to  ascertain  the  con(hlion  of  our  vessel, 
and  to  know  our  wants,  in  order  tliat,  from  their  re- 
port to  ^!Iperi()r  authority,  it  migiit  be  tiecided  how 
long  we  ohould  be  permitted  to  remain  in  port.  Aware 
of  the  jealousy  of  the  governn.ent  towards  all  foreign- 
ers, and  their  practice  of  rigidly  enforc'iig  the  law  for 
the  exclusion  of  any  other  flag  than  tiieir  own,  except 
in  cases  of  emergency,  we  presumed  the  time  grant- 
ed to  us  would  be  very  limited,  and  were  therefore 
very  w<.ll  satisfied,  when  it  was  announced  to  us,  that 
the  Viceroy  permitted  us  to  remain  eight  days.  This 
was  ample  time  to  fill  up  our  water-ca&ks,  to  procure  a 
supply  of  slock,  vegetables,  and  fruit,  and  to  ascertain 
if  it  were  possible  to  dispose  of  our  cargo  to  some  one 
of  the  traders,  who  were  here  from  the  River  Plate. 

Having  at  length  obtained  leave  to  go  on  shore,  we 
readily  availed  ourselves  of  it,  although  with  the  incum- 
brance of  a  soldier  consiantly  following  us  ;  nor,  (hwing 
our  sta}\  wiM'e  we  at  any  lime  on  shore  without  being 
thus  watched.  Nevertheless,  as  there  were  no  limits 
to  our  wandering  about  the  city,  we  visited  nearly  every 
part  of  if.  We  ()asse(l  one  evening  at  <lie  theatre. 
The  company  was  numerous,  orderly,  w  "-dressed, 
and  apparently  respectable.  'I'heir  patience  was  pin  to 
the  test  by  his  Kxcellency  the  \  iceroy,  before  whose 
arrival  the  ciutain  could  not  be  raised,  and  who  kept 
them  waiting  tdl  past  eight  o'clock.  When  he  entered 
14  * 


J 


162 


SF.COXn   VOYAGE— l-Kl.IA    IlYRIl. 


his  box,  all  rose,  with  their  faces  towards  hiin  ;  at  the 
same  time  the  music  struck  up  a  favorite  air.  After 
this,  a  comedy  in  five  acts  was  performed,  succeeded 
by  a  ballet,  which  gave  general  satisfaction,  and  which 
detained   us  till  past  midnight. 

On  the  third  day  after  our  arrival,  being  in  one  of 
the  large  streets  of  the  city,  engaged  in  conversation 
with  the  linguist,  whom  1  had  accidentally  met  there,  I 
perceived  a  man  carried  by  in  the  arms  of  two  others. 
His  clothes  were  very  bloody,  and  he  appeared  to  be 
dying.  On  inquiring  what  accident  had  happened  to 
him,  I  was  told,  with  much  sang froid,  that  In,'  had  just 
been  stabbed,  and  that  the  perpetrator  of  the  deed  had 
escaped.  The  linguist  seemeil  to  receive  the  informa- 
tion u'th  as  little  emotion  as  if  it  were  a  circumstance 
of  every  day's  occurrence.  Yet  it  is  a|)parent,  that  no 
people  rre  more  attached  to  life  ;  and  if  the  crime  of 
murder  were  held  in  as  general  abhorrence  as  in  many 
other  countries,  it  would  be  of  etpially  rare  occurrence. 
But,  in  this  country,  the  assassin  generally  escapes  with 
impunity  ;  and  this  encourages  a  repetition  of  the  crime, 
on  every  triHing  provocation. 

In  one  of  our  morning  walks,  Mr.  Rouissillon  and 
myself  went  to  the  Convent  of  IJenedictines,  which  is 
beautifully  situated  on  an  eminence  facing  ihe  lunijour. 
Seeing  one  of  the  monks  at  the  door  of  the  chapel,  who 
spoke  Italian,  Mr.  Rouissillon  made  known  to  him  oi;r 
desire  of  seeing  the  interior  of  the  convent,  wlicn  he 
very  civilly  expressed  the  pleasm'e  he  should  lake  '  i 
showing  it  to  us.  We  were  first  conducted  through 
the  chapel,  which,  as  usual  in  these  establishments,  is  the 
j)ride  of  the  fraternity.  The  profusion  of  ornaments 
and  gold  about  the  altar,   which  strikes  the  eye  on  first 


CONVENT  OF  HKXEDICTIXES. 


1G3 


entering,  is  very  grand  and  imposing,  and  proljal)ly  pro- 
duces the  reverential  ell'ect  intended  on  the  majority  of 
those  who  worship  there.  Contiguous  to  the  cha|)el  is 
a  snuill  room,  used  exclusively  as  the  depositary  of 
some  relics  of  a  saint,  whose  history,  and  even  name, 
I  have  lorgottcn.  Following  our  conductor,  we  passed 
up  a  flight  of  stairs  to  the  cells  and  the  dining-room. 
The  former  are  about  twelve  feet  srpiare,  with  one  win- 
dow, and  are  furnished  each  with  a  bed,  a  chair,  and  a 
table  of  ordinary  manufacture.  The  latter  is  about 
sixty  feet  by  thirty,  with  small  windows  near  the  ceil- 
ing. On  one  side,  about  midway  of  the  room,  is  a  pul- 
pit, from  which  om  of  the  brothers  reads  a  sermon  or 
homily,  while  the  others  arc  engaged  at  their  meal. 

On  the  same  floor,  and  in  a  delightful  room,  the  large 
windows  of  which  open  upon  the  harbour,  is  the  library, 
containing  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand  volumes,  mostly 
in  the  French,  Italian,  and  Latin  languages.  My  friend 
evinced  so  familiar  an  acquaintance  with  many  of  these 
works,  that  the  monk,  who  accompanied  us,  was  much 
astonished.  This  we  discovered  by  his  remarking  it  to 
a  brother  then  in  the  room,  and  taking  occasion  to  con- 
trast the  ignorance  and  indiiTerence  to  literature  of  their 
own  countrymen  with  the  inlclligence  and  laudal)le  cu- 
riosity of  these  foreign  youths.  The  revcnui;  of  this 
fraternity  is  said  to  be  very  large,  from  sugar  and  collee 
plunlations.  They  number  about  forty  good  healthy- 
looking  men,  who  may  be  supposed  to  be  leadinj;;  in- 
nocent li\i's,  but,  certainly  to  appearance,  very  useless 
ones.  On  taking  leave  of  our  good-natured  contluctor, 
he  very  civilly  incited  us  to  come  again.  The  public, 
or  royal  garden,  which  is  about  two  miles  southeast 
from  the  city,  and  on  the  border  of  the  bay,  is  suscop- 


164 


HKCOX!)   VOVAOr:.  —  I,EI,I\   »YRD. 


tible  of  being  ni.ido  a  hcaiitifiil  walk  and  lounge,  as  it  is 
shaded  with  many  fine  trees,  and  is  open  to  iIk;  full  in- 
fluence of  the  sea  breeze  ;  but  it  is  in  a  dilapidated 
state,  is  innch  neglected,  and  but  little  frequented. 

Nothing  can  be  itnagined  more  beautiful  than  the  pic- 
ture presented  on  entering  the  bay  of  Rio  .laneiro. 
On  the  left  is  the  remarkable  high  rock,  in  the  form 
of  a  sugar-loaf,  inclining  north  very  considerably  from 
a  ])erpendicular,  and  bounding  that  side  of  the  entrance. 
On  the  right  is  the  formidable  and  beautiful  fortress  of 
Santa  Cru/,  near  to  whose  walls  ships  must  pass  to 
keep  in  the  deep  water,  and  from  which  they  are  hailed 
by  the  sentry.  In  front,  and  apparently  in  mid  passage, 
is  a  small  rocky  island,  on  which  is  a  battery  ;  and  be- 
yond this  is  the  bay,  of  too  great  extent  yet  to  discern 
the  extremity.  Passing  between  this  small  island  and 
the  point  of  Santa  Cruz,  the  bay  is  entered,  and  the 
scenery  becomes  more  picturesque.  On  one  side,  the 
city,  with  its  churches,  its  convents,  its  palace  and 
houses,  and  a  battery,  occupy  the  front  ground.  In 
the  rear,  and  at  a  greater  elevation,  is  seen  the  aque- 
duct, constructed  with  two  tiers  of  arches.  On  the 
other  side  are  irregular  hills,  beautifully  clothed  in  ver- 
dure, on  several  of  which  are  perched  neat  wliite 
chapels  and  convents,  whose  inhabitants  seem  to  be 
withdrawn  from  the  rest  of  the  world.  Beyond  these, 
tlie  horizon  is  limited  by  a  range  of  singularly  uneven 
mountains,  which,  from  the  rcsomblance,  are  called  the 
organ  pipes.  In  the  bay,  imn)ediately  in  front  of  the 
city,  are  seen  the  ships  of  war,  beyond  which,  and  be- 
hinfi  the  Jllia  das  Cobras,  which  forms  the  inner  har- 
bour, is  the  forest  of  masts  of  the  merchant  ships. 
The  intercourse,  kept  up  between  the  city  and  St.  Do- 


PnEr.MlATIONS   lOR   DEPAUTl'Ui;. 


1G5 


I 


niingo  and  Praya  Grande,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
bay,  by  means  of  nunicrous   small  sail-hoats,  gives  life 


li 


finish. 


Harmonic 
which  renders  it  perfectly  beautiful. 

The  city  itself,  independently  of  its  natural  advan- 
tages, and  the  beautiful  scenery  by  uhich  it  is  en- 
vironed, lias  nothing  to  recommend  it  to  the  stranger's 
attention.  Its  palace  is  of  ordinary  construction,  neither 
remarkable  for  size  nor  architectural  proportions.  The 
convents,  like  all  buiklings  of  that  descrijilion,  have  the 
appearance  of  prisons.  The  cathedral,  being  only 
partly  built,  had  neither  shape  nor  comeliness.  The 
houses,  generally,  appeared  to  be  well  adapted  to  the 
climate  ;  but  I  observed  nothing  in  the  exterior  of  any 
of  them,  which  would  indicate  the  wealth  which  is  at- 
tributed to  many  of  the  iidiabilants.  The  a(|ueduct,  by 
which  the  city  is  supplied  with  water,  is  decidedly  the 
most  useful,  and  probably  the  most  costly,  public  work 
to  be  seen  here.  It  commences  near  the  Corcovado, 
where  the  waters  are  collected  in  a  covered  reservoir, 
and  are  thence  conveyed  into  the  canal,  in  which,  pro- 
tected from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  they  reach  the  city 
without  losing  their  freshness. 

Finding  that  we  could  not  dispose  of  our  cargo  here, 
and  having  ])rovided  the  stores  requisite  for  the  passage 
to  the  Chilian  coast,  there  was  no  inducement  lo  pro- 
long our  stay  beyond  the  time  limited  at  our  entry. 
We  therefore,  on  the  9th,  cleared  out  at  the  custom- 
house, and  moved  the  vessel  from  the  harbour  into  the 
bay,  that  we  might  be  ready  to  lake  advantage  of  the 
land  breeze  early  (he  following  morning.  Having  ap- 
priztul  ihe  Captain  of  the  port  of  this  intention,  he  caine 
on  board  in  good  season,  and  conducted  us  out  till  past 


IGG 


SKCON'D  VOYAGK,  —  l.r.r.IA   IIVRP. 


I 


the  castle,  when  lie  took  leave  with  the  customary  sulu- 
tation,  and  we  pursued  our  course  to  the  south. 

The  occurrences  diu'ing  this  passage,  with  one  mel- 
ancholy exception,  were  as  uninteresting  as  is  common 
on  such  voyages.  'J'he  change  of  latitude  brings  a 
change  of  weather,  and  this  causes  the  most  in)|)()rtant, 
if  not  the  only  variety  in  the  daily  routine,  —  that  of 
reducing  and  spreading  sail  more  fre(]ncntly,  as  we  ad- 
vance toward  the  stormy  parallel.  On  the  1st  day  of 
February  we  saw  land  to  the  westward,  being  in  lati- 
sude  54^  40'  south.  IJut,  having  head  winds  lor  sev- 
eral succeeding  days,  we  made  scarcely  any  progress 
till  the  .Oth,  when  we  took  a  breeze  from  northwest, 
which,  after  a  few  hours,  came  from  northeast  ;  and 
next  day,  from  east-northeast,  from  whence  it  continued 
a  fine  breeze  throughout  the  day,  and  increasing  in  the 
night,  so  as  to  oblige  us  to  take  in  top-gallant  sails,  and, 
before  morning,  to  reef  our  topsails. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th  we  perceived  the  water 
to  be  discolored,  and  soon  after  saw  Caj)e  Horn  to  the 
westward,  distant  nine  or  ten  leagues.  Soon  after,  the 
wind  shifted  to  the  south-southeast,  and  thence  to  south- 
southwest,  blowing  in  sipialls,  with  great  violence,  which 
obliged  us  to  furl  the  foretopsail  and  close  reef  the  main 
one.  Wiiile  engaged  on  the  latter,  we  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  lose  .Tolin  Green,  a  Norwegian,  who  fell 
from  the  yard,  struck  his  head  against  the  main  chains, 
and  fell  into  the  sea.  He  was  seen  but  a  moment,  his 
head  very  bloody,  and  then  disappeared.  An  imme- 
diate and  general  rush  was  made  to  clear  away  the  boat, 
but  a  moment's  reflection  was  snfllcient  to  satisfy  (jvery 
one,  that  the  boat  could  not  fail  to  be  swamped  imme- 
diately in  the  higli,  and  very  irregular  sea,  winch  had 


I 


'^ 


ARKIVE  Al'    VAM'AKAIHO. 


1G7 


been  ricated  by  the  sutldeii  shifting  of  the  wind.  Nor, 
had  it  l)een  otlicrwise,  woidd  it  have  been  of  any  avail, 
as  tlie  blow  on  the  head  nuist  have  been  fatal.  Thns 
perished,  in  an  instant,  an  excellent  young  man,  in  the 
prini(^  of  life,  and  vigor  of  lieahli  and  spirits,  beloved 
by  his  shipmates,  and  highly  inizcd  by  the  master  and 
oflicers.  This  distressing  event  cast  a  gloom  on  the 
spirits  of  all  on  board,  which  was  not  entirely  efiiiced 
during  the  remainder  of  the  passage,  nor  till  new  scenes 
and  new  avocations,  in  a  degree,  obliterated  the  recol- 
lections of  the  past. 

We  began  now  to  experience  a  specimen  of  that 
tempestuous  weather  for  which  Cape  Horn  is  so  justly 
famed.  Hard  and  continued  gales  from  the  westward, 
during  which  we  could  only  lie  to  ;  some  days  so 
cold,  although  in  midsummer,  that  the  sleet  and  snow 
lay  on  ihe  weather  side  of  the  mast  till  past  noon.  At 
length,  after  having  contended  more  than  a  week  with 
adverse  winds  and  boisterous  weather,  we  had  the  sat- 
isfacticMi  of  a  favorable  change,  which  continuing,  with- 
out oilier  incident  worthy  of  note,  carried  us  to  tbe 
Bay  of  Valparaiso,  where  we  arrived  on  the  24th  day 
of  February,  IS02,  forty-five  days  from  Rio  .Taneiro, 
and,  including  stoppages,  one  hundred  and  eight  days 
since  leavitig  tbe  Kibe. 


168 


SECOND  Yovs(;i:  —  i.r.MA  nvKi). 


CHAPTER    XII. 

AiiK^rifinn  Vessels  at  Valparaiso.  —  Permission  to  obtain  Sujipiics. — 
Tlirc.it  of  the  Captain-ficncral.  —  ('ontrovi'rsy  between  the  (iov- 
ernor  and  Captain  llowan.  —  Arrest  and  liiiprisonnient  of  Ameri- 
cans.—  Preparation  for  Hostilities.  —  Anger  of  llie  (iovernor. — 
Determined  on  VeMjreanco. —  His  Treaciiery.  —  Capture  ol'  tlio 
Ship  Hazard.  —  Imprisonment  of  Kowan.  —  Corresjiondeiice  with 
the  Ca[)tain-(Jeneral.  —  Defei  our  Departure. —  tSei/.nre  of  our 
Vessel. —  Interrogatories.  —  Our  Vessel  restored  to  ns.  —  t)rder 
of  the  Captain-General  to  leave  tiic  Poit. —  Proposition  from  the 
Collector.  —  Refused.  —  Ileturn  of  the  actual  Governor. —  In- 
terview and  civil  Ueccption. —  Departure. 


On  entering  the  Bay  of  Valparaiso,  \vc  were  boarded 
by  a  naval  officer  from  a  gnurducosla,  then  l}iiiii  in 
port.  He  desired  us  not  to  cast  anchor  till  the  captain 
had  presentetl  himself  to  the  (Governor  and  obtained  liis 
permission.  Consequently,  while  ^fr.  Shaler  accon)pani- 
cd  this  oflicer  to  the  Governor,  we  lay  oil'  and  on  in 
the  bay.  More  than  an  hour  had  elapsed  before  his 
return  with  a  permission  to  anchor,  and  to  remain  till 
a  reply  could  be  received  from  tiie  Captain- (ieneral  at 
Santiago,  to  our  request  for  leave  to  supply  our  wants, 
for  which  a  despatch  was  to  be  forwarded  immediately. 

We  were  surprised  to  find  no  less  than  four  Ameri- 
can vessels  lying  here,  viz.  the  ship  Hazard  of  J'rovi- 
dence,  on  a  voyage  similar  to  oiu-  own,  detained  on 
suspicion  of  being  English,  from  the  circumstance  of 
being  armed.  The  ship  Miantinomo  and  schooner 
Oneco  of  Norwich,   Connecticut,   each  with   valuable 


ORDEnKi)  TO  i,i:.\vi:  Tin;  i'oht. 


JC9 


rded 

'i  •" 
itain 

lis 
mi- 
ill 
liis 
till 
I  at 
Its, 
•ly. 
cri- 
()\  i- 

Oll 

of 
ble 


i 


I 


cargoes  of  seal  skins  taken  at  the  Iskind  of  IMasafiioia, 
both  detained,  and  finally  confiscated,  on  a  cliarce  of 
having  supplied  I'lnglisli  pii\  ateeis,  then  on  the  coast, 
with  provisions  which  tlicy  had  ohtained  at  'i'alcahii- 
ana  ;  and  the  ship  Tryal,  of  .Nantucket,  a  whaler,  also 
detained  for  alleged  illicit  trade.  If  we  were  surprised 
lo  meet  so  many  of  our  countrymen  here,  we  were 
eijually  mortified,  and  in  some  degree  alarmed  for  our 
own  safety,  to  find  them  all  under  seizure.  Yet,  while 
we  violated  no  law,  and  re(piired  no  other  than  the 
privileges  secured  to  us  hy  treaty,  we  could  not  believe 
that  we  should  be  molested. 

On  the  third  day  after  the  Governor's  messenger  had 
been  des|)atched  a  reply  was  received  from  the  Captain- 
General, —  the. purport  of  which  was,  that  our  passage 
had  been  so  good  thai  we  could  not  be  in  want  of  pro- 
visions, if  we  iiad  provided  such  quantity  in  Kuiopc  as 
we  ought  to  have  done.  But,  if  it  were  otherwise,  and 
our  wants  were  as  urgent  as  represented,  the  mode  by 
which  we  proposed  paying  for  them,  by  a  bill  on  l*aris, 
was  inadmissible  ;  and,  therefore,  that  it  was  his  K\- 
cellency's  order  that  we  should  leave  the  port  at  the 
expiration  of  twenty-four  hours  after  this  notification. 
On  remonstrating  with  the  (Governor,  and  pointing  out 
to  liiin  the  inhumanity  of  dri  .iuii,  us  to  sea,  while  in 
possession  of  so  small  a  suppl_  nf  li  e  first  necessaries 
of  life,  he  very  reluctantly  con.iiitc  i  to  our  remaining 
another  post  ;  and  even  promised  to  make  a  more 
favorable  report,  on  the  urgency  of  our  necessities,  than 
he  had  done.  liut,  as  the  order  was  reiterated,  we 
doubted  his  having  performed  his  [iromise,  and  there- 
fore determined  to  write  directly  to  the  Captain-General. 

VOL.    I.  15 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT.3) 


V 


// 


// 


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I.I 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


2J  A.6ST  *AAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER, NY.  MS80 

(716)  872-4503 


170 


SECOND  VOYAGE.  —  LELIA  BYUD. 


In  conformity  with  this  decision,  IMr.  Shaler  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  the  Captain-CJeneral,  in  tlie  Spanish 
language,  expressing  his  surprise  at  the  order  for  his 
d-^parture,  without  aflbrding  him  the  supphes  wiiich 
were  indispensable,  and  for  which  provision  had  been 
made  by  treaty.  "  Presuming  that  his  Excellency's  in- 
tentions had  been  misconceived  by  the  Governor,  he  had 
ventured  to  disobey  the  order,  and  to  remain  in  port 
till  the  reception  of  his  Excellency's  reply."  A 
prompt  and  very  polite  answer  to  the  letter  was  re- 
ceived, granting  us  permission  to  supply  ourselves  with 
every  thing  we  desired  ;  and,  what  was  very  extraordi- 
nary, giving  us  further  permission,  which  had  not  been 
asked,  of  selling  so  much  of  the  cargo  as  would  be 
sufficient  to  pay  for  the  supplies.  After  which,  he 
desired  we  would  leave  the  port  immediately  ;  and 
added,  that  if  we  entered  any  other  port  on  the  coast, 
we  should  be  treated  as  contrabandists. 

The  latter  paragraph  of  his  Excellency's  letter,  evi- 
dently conveyed  a  doubt,  in  his  mind,  whether  our 
destination  and  the  object  of  our  voyage  was  what  we 
had  stated  it  to  be.  But,  having  subjected  ourselves 
to  the  mortification  of  having  the  correctness  of  our 
statement  doubted,  there  seemed  to  be  no  other  remedy 
than  patience  and  forbearance.  At  any  rate,  our  em- 
barrassments were  more  entirely  relieved  than  we  had 
anticipated.  We  |)rocured  our  provisions  and  paid  for 
them  in  manufactures,  and  were  engaged  in  settling  our 
accounts,  prej)aratory  to  our  departure  on  the  morrow, 
having  already  exceeded  a  month  sin^e  our  arrival. 

But  we  were  unconscious  of  what  a  day  would  bring 
forth,  and  entirely  unprepared  for  a  train  of  unfortunate 
events,  in  which  every  American  in  port  was  more  or 


.\K\V   DIFFICULTIES. 


171 


less  involved.  It  appeared,  tliat  a  part  of  tlie  cargo 
of  ilie  ship  Hazard  consisted  of  muskets.  These  were 
demanded  by  the  (Jovernor,  on  pretext  of  being  contra- 
band of  war,  and  were  very  properly  refused  by  Cap- 
tain Rowan,  who  stated  to  the  (Governor,  that  they  were 
taken  on  board  at  a  neutral  port,  that  they  were  not 
destined  to  any  port  of  the  enemies  of  Spain,  and  that 
they  did  not  conic  under  the  sixteenth  article  of  the 
treaty. 

During  our  stay  here  we  had  ascertained,  that  the 
actual  governor  of  the  place  was,  with  his  family,  on  a 
visit  to  the  capital,  and  tiiat  the  person  with  whom  we 
had  been  treating,  and  who  represented  here  the  Msijesty 
of  Spain,  ])on  Antonio  Francisco  Garcia  Carrascr, 
was  an  oflicer  of  inferior  grade,  acting  as  governor  dur- 
ing tiie  absence  of  his  superior.  Don  Antonio  was 
about  sixty  years  of  age,  of  pleasing  manners,  of  pre- 
possessing countenance,  and  apparently  of  amiable  dis- 
position ;  but  of  no  decision  of  character,  of  contract- 
ed mind,  pufled  up  with  vanity,  and  confounded  at 
the  audacity  that  should  dare  to  refuse  compliance  with 
an  order  given  in  the  name  of  his  King  ;  indeed,  in  his 
person,  cliaraclcr,  and  capacities,  there  was  a  striking 
resemblance  to  the  portrait  drawn  by  Cervantes,  of  the 
celebrated  Governor  of  liarralaria. 

The  pride  of  the  (jov^rnor  was  evidently  wounded, 
by  the  refusal  of  Uowan  to  obey  his  demand  of  the 
muskets  ;  and  his  subsequent  measiu'cs  to  obtain  them 
were  calculated  to  exhibit  his  follv,  and  to  increase  his 
mortification  and  hostile  feelings.  To  suppose,  with  his 
feeble  means,  that  he  could  coerce  a  compliance  with 
his  demand,  was  to  suppose  the  American  to  be  as 
great  a  poltroon  as  himself.     As  far,  however,  as  the 


172 


SF,C()Nn    VOYACK.  —  l.rXlA    IIVRI). 


attempt   coulil    prove    it,    lie    certainly  did    expect   to 
do  so. 

The  troops  of  the  garrison,  about  thirty  in  nmnber, 
with  drums  beating,  and  colors  displayed,  were  seen 
marching  from  the  castle  to  the  seashore,  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  day  on  which  the  muskets  had  been  refused. 
Rowan,  who  was  on  the  alert,  saw  them  embark  in  a 
large  launch,  accompanied  by  the  Governor,  and  pre- 
pared ITunself  for  resistance.  The  launch,  which  with 
rowers  and  soldiers,  was  excessively  crowded,  ap- 
proached the  Hazard  with  the  royal  colors  Hying. 
When  within  hail  of  the  ship,  the  Governor  stood  up, 
and  demanded  if  he  might  come  on  board.  Kowan 
replied,  that  he  should  be  happy  to  be  honored  with  his 
company,  but  that  he  would  not  permit  any  one  of  his 
soldiers  to  con.e  on  board.  The  launch  approached 
nearer  to  the  ship,  to  enable  the  parties  to  converse 
with  more  ease.  The  (Governor  again  formally  demand- 
ed the  surrender  of  the  arms,  and  was  again  refused. 
He  remonstrated,  and  urged  the  consequences  of  resist- 
ing the  authority  of  the  King's  representative.  IJut 
it  was  all  unavailing,  and  perceiving  that  neither  threats 
nor  persuasion  had  the  desired  ellect,  that  armed  sen- 
tries were  stationed  at  the  gangways  of  the  ship,  and 
the  proper  precautions  taken  against  a  coup  de  inuin,  he 
returned  to  the  shore  with  his  soldiers,  deeply  morti- 
fied, excessively  irritated,  and  vowing  vengeance. 

But  it  is  not  unusual,  that  what  is  done  in  the  mo- 
ment of  great  excitement,  is  not  of  the  most  judicious 
character,  and  that  by  suHering  ourselves  to  be  con- 
trolled by  our  passions,  we  'jonnnit  acts  which  increase 
the  absurdity  of  a  ridiculous  position,  and  augment  our 
embarrassments.     This    was    precisely    the  case    with 


IMriMSONMF.NT  OF   AMKRIC'ANS. 


173 


the  (lovernor,  n  this  instance.  Without  adverting  to 
consequences,  but  influenced  by  the  violence  of  bis 
passion,  he,  innnediately  on  landing,  ordered  every 
American  who  could  be  foun^  on  shore,  to  be  arrested 
and  shut  up  in  the  castle.  Shnler,  Itonissillon,  and 
myself,  being  of  this  number,  were  accordingly  arrest- 
ed, and,  with  four  others  of  our  countrymen,  were 
marched  to  prison,  in  charge  of  a  file  of  soldiers,  who, 
by  their  conversation  during  the  time,  evinced  that  their 
feelings  were  in  unison  with  those  of  the  Governor. 

At  the  same  time,  with  the  order  for  our  arrest,  and 
as  if  to  consummate  his  folly,  the  Governor  made  an- 
other attempt  to  intimidate,  by  ordering  the  captain  of 
a  large  Spanish  ship,  which  mounted  eighteen  heavy 
guns  betwixt  decks,  to  Ijring  his  broadside  to  bear  on 
the  Hazard,  and  to  order  her  colors  to  be  hauled  down, 
in  token  of  submission,  on  penalty  of  being  sunk.  After 
what  had  occurred,  to  make  such  a  threat,  without 
daring  to  take  the  responsibility  of  executing  it,  served 
only  to  increase  the  awkwardness  of  the  Governor's 
position.  While  all,  both  on  shore,  and  on  board  the 
shipping,  were  watching  with  intense  interest,  the  result 
of  this  threat,  a  man  was  observed  on  board  the  Haz- 
ard, engaged  in  nailing  the  colors  to  the  mast.  A  more 
significant  reply  could  not  possibly  hv  made.  The 
Governor  was  foiled  ;  and  a  calm  succeeded  the  storm, 
during  the  time  required  to  despatch  a  courier  to  the 
Captain-General,  and  to  receive  his  instructions  in  the 
case. 

Our  arrest  prevented  our  sailing,  as  we  intended  to 
do,  the  same  evening.     Having  passed  a  most  uncom- 
fortable night,  without  beds,  in  the  castle,   where  we 
were  annoyed  by  myriads  of  fleas,    and  having  been 
15* 


174 


.SECOND   VOYAfii;.  —  LKLIA   BYni). 


without  food  of  any  kind,  since  noon  of  tiie   preceding 
day,  vvc  wrote  to  the  Governor  in  the  morning,  request- 
ing to  be  provided  with  food  and  beds.     Our  letter  was 
retinned  unopened  ;  but,  about  noon,  by  a  verba!  mes- 
sage from  the  Ciovernor,  we  were  informed,  that  liber- 
ty was  given   us   to   go  on  board  our  respective  ships. 
We  were  doubtful  of  the  propriety  of  availing  ourselves 
of  this  liberty,  so  ungraciously  proflered,  till  an   apolo- 
gy should  be   made   to  us  for  the  aggression.     It  was 
finally  settled,  that   Shaler,  being  the   most    important 
person,  as  master  of  the  vessel,  should  remain  in  prison. 
We  therefore  sent  to  him  a  bed  and  provisions.      This 
was  a  determination  for  which  the  Governor  was  entire- 
ly  unprepared,   and    which   seemed  to   confound   hinj. 
With   characteristic   imbecility  he  went   to  the  castle  ; 
and,    greeting    Mr.    Shaler    with    apparent    cordiality, 
begged   him    to   go  on  board  his  vessel,  and  proceed  to 
sea.      This  Shaler  oflered  tn   do,   on   condition   of  re- 
ceiving a  written  apology  for  imprisoning  us.      He   de- 
clined giving  it.      Permission  was  then  asked  to  send  an 
express,  with  a  letter,  to  the  Captain-General.     This 
he  peremptorily  and  angrily  refused,  and  then  suddenly 
started  ofl'  to  sujjerintend  the  preparations  which  he  was 
making  to  compel  a  surrcnfler  of  the  Hazard,  the  orders 
for  which  he  expected  to  receive  the  next  day. 

Alihough  the  ostensible  reason  for  refusing  a  compli- 
ance with  the  Governor's  order  to  go  to  sea,  was  to 
obtain  satisfaction,  yet  the  real  cause  of  our  delay,  was 
the  hope  and  belief  of  being  able  to  render  essential 
service  in  aiding  to  extricate  Rowan  from  his  difficul- 
ties. It  was  evident,  that  the  Governor  desired  only 
the  sanction  of  the  Captain-General,  to  attempt  coer- 
cion ;  and,  in  expectation  of  receiving  it,  he  was  making 


rREI'.\l!ATIO.\S   Foil   HOSTILITIES. 


175 


tl 


10  requisite  preparations 


Th 


)1(1 


le  soiciicrs   o 


f  111 


garri- 


son and  the  popiilare  were  busily  ongageil,  uiuh-r  the 
direction  of  the  Governor,  in  [ilacing  cannon,  in  every 
direction,  to  bear  on  the  ship.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
lioi'ses,  in  the  vicinity,  left  them,  and  retired  to  the 
hills.  'JMie  activity  and  bustle  of  business,  had  given 
place 


th 


)f 


preparation  and  excitement 
the  confusion  and  apprehension  could  hardly  have  been 
exceeded,  if  the  town  had  been  on  tlie  point  of  being 
taken  by  assault. 

While  Mr.  Rouissillon  and  myself  were  walking 
through  one  of  the  streets,  we  encountered  the  (lover- 
nor,  who  saluted  us,  and  asked  me,  if  I  was  not  next 
in  cotniTiaiid  on  board  to  Mr.  iShaler.  Answering  in 
tlie  aflirmaiive,  he  ordered  me  to  go  on  board,  and  pro- 
ceed to  sea.  On  my  rejoining,  that  I  could  not  go 
witjiout  my  Captain,  he  threatened  to  seize  the  vessel, 
and,  without  waiting  for  a  reply,  left  us  abruptly,  and 
apparently  in  an  angry  mood.  In  the  course  of  the 
following  day,  being  the  fourth  Irom  the  beginning  of 
hostilities,  the  express  arrived  from  Santiago,  bringing 
a  letter  to  Captain  Rowan  from  the  Captain-Cieneral. 
It  contained  such  promise  of  redress,  if  he  woultl  com- 
ply with  the  rcipiisitions  of  government,  by  delivering 
up  the  arms,  that  he  was  induced  to  yield.  The  arms 
were  accordingly  delivered  to  the  order  of  the  CJover- 
nor,  and  his  receipt  taken  for  them.  The  portentous 
cloud,  which  had  been  lowering  over  the  afiairs  of  our 
countrymen,  in  this  place,  appeared  to  be  now  dissi- 
pated. The  colors  of  defiance,  which  had  been  waving 
on  the  ships  and  at  the  castle,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
dispute,  were  hauled  down  ;  the  cannon,  which  had 
been  transported  to  the   beach,  were  returned  to  their 


176 


SFX'O.ND  V()Y.\f:K.-LKU.\  BYRD. 


ancient  position  ;  the  sentries  were  no  longer  seen  at 
the  gangways  of  the  Hazard  ;  the  oUl  women  and  chil- 
dren returned  to  their  habitations  ;  and  every  ih'ng  in- 
dicated peace  and  repose. 

This  repose,  however,  was  only  the  treacherous 
cahn  that  precedes  the  hin'ricane.  The  (Governor  could 
not  brook  the  indignity  he  Iiad  suflered.  The  ven- 
geance he  had  vowed,  and  which  lie  had  not  tlie  cour- 
age to  take  openly,  he  determined  to  execute  treach- 
erously ;  and  his  measures,  which  were  taken  with  great 
secrecy,  and  with  the  stimulus  of  plunder,  were  exe- 
cuted with  such  success,  as  inust  have  satisfied  his 
highest  ambition,  and  served  as  a  balm  to  his  wounded 
feelings. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day,  when  the  muskets  were 
surrendered,  INIr.  Kouissillon  and  myself  made  a  visit 
to  the  (lovernor,  and  found  him  to  be  as  afl'able  and 
pleasant,  as  was  naturally  to  be  expected  on  attaining 
the  object,  of  which  he  had  so  long  been  in  pursuit. 
He  hoped  we  should  proceed  to  sea  the  next  day,  and 
inquired,  why  Rowan  did  not  come  on  shore  ;  adding, 
to  our  surprise,  that  if  he  did  not  come  voluntarily, 
he  should  use  coercion.  We  assured  him  of  our  be- 
lief, that  his  not  having  been  on  shore  that  day  was  ac- 
cidental, and  not  from  any  apprehension  of  molestation, 
begged  hitn  not  to  think  of  coercion,  and  ofl'ered  our 
guarantee,  that  he  should  present  himself  at  the  castle 
in  the  inorning.  On  leiving  the  Ciovernor  we  went  on 
board  the  Hazard,  and  reported  to  Uowan  our  conver- 
sation will)  the  (iovernor.  He  had  no  hesitation  in  de- 
termining to  act  in  accordance  with  his  desire,  by  visit- 
ing him,  as  early  as  it  was  permitted  strangers  to  be  on 
shore. 


CAPTUKE  OF   'I'lIK   IIA/AKl). 


177 


n  at 
hi!- 
in- 


Fearing,  in  this  instance,  a  too  ready  compliance,  in 
vvliicli  case  the  opportunity  for  revenge  would  escape 
hiu),  the  (iovornor  must  have  had  every  thing  phmned 
and  prepared  in  the  evening,  probably  while  we  were 
with  him,  to  execute  his  cowardly  design  in  the  morn- 
ing, before  it  was  permitted  Kowan  to  cc  .e  on  shore. 
Tiie  launches,  which  were  used  to  transport  wheat  from 
the  shore  to  the  large  ship  before  mentioned,  passed 
and  repassed  near  the  Hazard  while  thus  engaged  ; 
conse<picntly,  they  would  excite  no  suspicion  when  ap- 
proaching the  ship.  An  enterprise,  involving  so  little 
risk,  and  which  promised  so  golden  a  harvest  of  plun- 
der, bad  not  to  wait  for  the  requisite  number  of  men. 
About  two  hundred  ruflians,  armed  with  pistols,  swords, 
and  knives,  embarked  in  the  launches  used  for  carrying 
wheat,  and  boarded  the  Hazard,  on  each  side,  while 
her  men  were  entirely  off  their  guard,  unsuspicious  of 
any  cause  of  hostility.  To  save  their  lives,  such  of  the 
crew  as  were  able  made  a  hasty  retreat  to  the  hold. 
But  there  were  two  poor  fellows  lying  sick  in  their 
hammocks  ;  and  these  were  both  dangerously  wounded. 
Rowan  was  screened  from  the  vengeance  of  the  ban- 
ditti by  the  interference  of  an  oflicer,  taken  immediate- 
ly on  shore,  and  sent  to  the  castle. 

The  scene  of  plunder  and  confusion,  which  ensued, 
beggars  all  description.  Perceiving  that  the  mischief 
was  likely  to  be  more  extensive  than  he  had  imagined, 
the  (jovernor  went  on  board,  with  a  party  of  soldiers, 
to  arrest  its  progress.  But  he  soon  discovered,  that  it 
is  easier  to  set  a  mob  in  motion,  than  to  control  it  after- 
wards. With  his  utmost  efforts,  aided  by  the  soldiers, 
and  by  the  connnandant  of  the  custom-house  guards  and 
his  satellites,  he  was  incapable  of  resisting  the  progress 


178 


SECOND  VOVAOE.  — tELIA  UVRD. 


of  tlie  plunderers,  until,  being  satiated,  they  retreated 
with  their  booty  to  the  shore,  as  opportunity  oftered. 
When  there  were  but  few  remaining,  he  succeeded  in 
driving  them  away,  and  placed  the  ship  in  cliarge  of  the 
mates. 

After  such  an  achievement,  such  a  gathering  of  lau- 
rels, there  was  some  hazard  to  a  foreigner  in  calling  on 
the  Governor,  even  though  it  were  to  compliment  him. 
But,  being  determined  that  the  Captain-General  should 
have  our  version  of  the  transaction,  I  called  on  him, 
at  noon,  for  leave  to  send  an  express  to  the  capital  to 
complain  of  the  outrage,  and  to  demand  that  redress 
there,  which  wo  asked  in  vain  here.  In  an  angry  tone, 
and  instead  of  replying  to  my  request,  he  inquired,  if 
we  were  desirous  of  provoking  him  to  serve  us  in  the 
manner  he  had  done  the  ship  ?  I  replied,  that  1  hoped 
there  was  no  danger  of  our  causing  him  any  provoca- 
tion, but  should  it  be  our  misfortune  to  do  so,  to  the 
extent  intimated,  there  could  exist  no  cause  for  such 
violent  measures  as  had  been  used  towards  the  ship,  as 
no  resistance  would  be  made.  I  then  remarked  on  the 
advantage  that  would  result  to  the  government  in  keep- 
ing away  the  rabble,  and  thus  securing  the  whole  prop- 
erty. I  stated,  also,  that  there  were  many  valuable 
instruments,  charts,  and  books,  on  board,  which  would 
be  useful  to  the  Spanish  marine,  but  which  might  be 
destroyed,  if,  as  he  suggested,  "  he  served  us  in  the 
manner  he  had  done  the  ship  "  ;  and  I  repeated  a  hope, 
that  he  would  not  do  so.  Seeing  that  I  was  not  to  be 
intimidated,  and  was,  moreover,  determined  not  to  go 
to  sea  without  communicating  with  the  Captain-General, 
he  at  length  reluctantly  consented  to  our  sending  an 
express. 


cmtiiKtiroxDUNcE  wrni  the  cai'tain-gexerai,.     J  79 


I  . 


We  had  reason  to  believe,  that,  if  we  could  obtain 
permission  to  visit  Santiago,  we  sliould  there  L ;;  able  to 
make  a  sale  of  our  cargo,  deliverable  outside  the  port, 
and  which,  at  one  half  the  prices  current  in  the  city, 
would  yield  us  a  handsome  (jrofit.  To  gain  an  ad- 
ditional number  of  days  in  port,  therefore,  in  the  hope 
of  obtaining  leave  to  proceed  to  the  capital,  or  of  meet- 
ing some  person  from  there  desirous  of  purchasing  the 
cargo,  was  another  inducement  for  the  refusal  of  Mr. 
Shaler  to  leave  the  castle.  When,  therefore,  this  ob- 
ject was  attained,  by  opening  a  correspondence  with  the 
Captain-(jcneral,  he  left  the  castle,  and  retmiied  on 
board  the  Lelia  Byrd. 

The  letter,  written  by  Mr.  Shaler  in  Spanish,  and 
complaining  of  the  outrageous  conduct  of  the  Clovernor, 
to  the  unofTending  citizcits  of  a  friendly  power,  was 
sent  by  a  courier.  It  produced  an  interchange  of  sev- 
eral letters,  the  purport  of  which  was,  on  one  side,  to 
deny  the  right  of  any  foreign  vessel  to  traverse  these 
seas,  which,  his  lOxcellency  said,  like  the  territory,  be- 
longed exclusively  to  his  Catholic  Majesty  ;  on  the 
other,  to  refute  the  absind  doctrine  of  any  nation's 
possessing  an  exclusive  right  to  any  particular  sea,  and 
giving  chapter  and  verse  in  the  treaty,  not  only  for  our 
right  to  sail  where  we  please,  but  to  enter  their  ports, 
and  demand  succour.  His  Excellency  closed  the  cor- 
respondence by  expressing  a  hope,  that  if  we  did  not 
admit  their  exclusive  right  to  these  seas,  we  would,  at 
least,  allow  them  to  be  masters  in  their  own  ports. 

It  being  now  very  evident,  that  we  should  not  suc- 
ceed in  obtaining  leave  to  visit  Santiago,  and,  having 
assisted  in  bringing  Rowan's  aflairs  into  such  a  train,  as 
promised  a  speedy   and  satisfactory  adjustment,  there 


180 


SECOND   VOYACJF-.— LEMA   nVRD. 


existed  no 


fartli 


icr  inducemoiil  to  remain 


longer 


in  port. 


Accordingly,  having  settled  onr  Viirions  accounts  of  dis- 
bursements, Mr.  Slialer,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Ifouissil- 
lon,  waited  on  the  Governor,  to  notify  him  of  his  inten- 
tion to  proceed  to  sea  next  morning,  and  to  take  leave. 
He  received  them  with  great  cordiality,  expressed  much 
regret  at  what  had  occiirred,  promised  to  remedy  the 
mischief  as  far  as  he  as  able,  offered  us  every  facility 
in  his  power  to  insure  our  departure,  at  the  time  ap- 
pointed, and,  though  it  would  not  have  been  surprising 
if  ho  had  wished  us  to  the  devil,  on  the  contrary, 
wished  us  a  good  voyage. 

'J'liere  was  a  number  of  our  tmfortunatc  countrymen 
in  port,  principally  the  crews  of  the  condemned  ves- 
sels, who  had  lost  their  little  all,  and  whose  situation 
excited  commiseration.  We  knew,  that,  if  they  could 
gfct  to  Masafuera  with  the  provisions  they  could  obtain 
here,  they  would,  by  pursuing  their  vocation,  soon  bring 
up  arrears.  We  determined,  therefore,  to  go  so  far 
out  of  our  way,  as  to  give  them  all  jiassages  thiiher. 
They  all,  very  gratefully,  accepted  our  invitation.  ]ie- 
ing  ready,  on  the  21st  of  April,  and  on  the  point  of 
leaving  the  port,  a  message  was  brought  from  the  (Jov- 
ernor,  requesting  to  see  Mr.  Shaler.  He  went  inune- 
diately  to  him,  and  found,  to  his  astonishment,  that  he 
wanted  him  to  defer  his  departure  a  few  days.  It  ap- 
peared, that  some  suspicious  or  malicious  person  had 
suggested  to  this  silly  governor,  that  our  object,  in 
taking  so  niany  men  on  board,  was  to  capture  the  largo 
ship,  then  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  Lima.  'J\)  guard 
against  this,  he  begged  Mr.  Shaler  to  defer  sailing  till 
forty-eight  hours  after  that  ship  had  sailed,  and   more- 


FURTriRIl   nllTICUI/riES. 


181 


in 


I 


I 


4 


over  liopotl,  we  would  not  roven^o  ourselves  on  any 
iinnrincd  Spanish  vessel  we  iniglil  clinnce  to  meet. 

In  arccdinf!;  to  the  (iovernor's  solicitation,  we  fell 
more  for  the  disa|)p(>iiitnicnt  of  our  passengers,  than  for 
any  inconvenience  to  onrselvcs.  Three  or,  at  most, 
four  days  woidd  soon  wear  away,  wlicn  we  sIkki.'^  he 
otr,  and  experience  once  more  the  hlessings  of  liheiiy  ; 
for  it  did  not  enter  our  imaginations,  that  there  coidd 
])ossil)ly  exist  an}'  further  difliculty.  The  ti.ic  we  had 
agreed  to  wait,  however,  had  not  quite  expired,  when 
we  were  taken  all  ahnck  again.  It  appeared,  that  one 
of  our  sailors,  an  Irishman,  who  had  deserted,  had 
given  information,  that  we  had  many  kegs  of  dollars 
on  hoard,  stowed  tmder  the  hallast.  As  he  had  pointed 
out  precisely  where  they  were,  an  armed  force  came 
on  hoard,  by  order  of  the  CJovernor,  and,  proceeding 
directly  to  the  place  indicated  hy  the  sailor,  found,  in- 
stead of  kegs  of  dollars,  kegs  of  quicksilver,  of  which 
they  took  away  four,  giving  a  receipt  for  them. 

We  flattered  ourselves,  that  this  aggression  would  he 
the  n\eans  of  opening  the  way  for  our  going  to  the 
capital.  Henewing,  therefore,  our  correspondence  with 
the  Captain-( General,  to  complain  of  this  outrage,  and 
remarking  on  our  entire  want  of  confidence  in  the  ca- 
pacity or  honesty  of  the  Governor  and  his  advisers,  we 
reiterated  our  request  for  leave  to  repair  to  Santiago, 
for  the  more  speedy  adjusuiient  of  oiu'  grievance.  In 
reply,  his  Kxcellency  remarked  on  the  loss  of  tiu)e 
which  our  coming  to  Santiago  would  cause,  and  ob- 
served, that  the  difliculty  could  he  easily  adjusted  at 
Val|)araiso,  by  answering  satisfactorily  the  following 
questions,  viz.  Why  was  the  quicksilver  hidden  under 
the  ballast  .''    To  whom  does  it  belong  ?    To  what  port 

VOL.    I.  16 


■■*5 


1S2 


SECOND   VOYAGE EELIA    BVRU. 


destined  ?  These  interrogatories,  being  solemnly  pro- 
pounded by  tlie  Covernor  to  Mr.  fcfhaler,  a  notary 
public  being  present,  lie  replied  to  the  first,  that  it  was 
not  hidden  ;  to  the  second,  that  it  belonged  to  the  own- 
ers of  the  vessel  and  cnrgo  ;  to  the  third,  that  its  des- 
tination was  round  the  world  ;  and  to  this  deposition, 
he  took  an  oath  on  an  odd  volume  of  Shakspearc,  pre- 
sented him  by  the  Governor  fcjr  that  purpose. 

The  result  of  this  investigation  Vv'as  inunedialely  de- 
spatched to  the  Captain-General  ;  and  an  answer  re- 
turned by  his  Excellency  with  the  least  possible  delay  ; 
the  purport  of  which  was,  that  the  four  kegs  of  quick- 
silver should  he  restored  to  us  on  board,  and  that  we 
should  then  leave  the  port  without  further  delay.  We 
were  now  surprised  by  an  overture  from  the  commandant 
of  the  custom-house  guards,  to  purchase  the  cpiicksil- 
ver.  He  proposed  to  us  a  good  price,  and  to  take  i*. 
out,  and  bring  the  amount,  in  dollars,  on  board  liimself. 
The  sale,  at  his  proposal,  would  have  been  a  veiy  ad- 
vantageous one  ;  but  our  experience  had  taught  us  to 
beware  of  treachery  ;  and,  imagining  such  to  be  lurk- 
ing in  this  proposal,  wo  declined  accepting  it.  During 
this  controveisy,  the  men,  whom  we  intended  taking  to 
INIasafuera,  had  dispersed  in  various  direclions  ;  so  that, 
having  on  board  only  our  original  small  con)|)lemeut  of 
men,  the  authorities  had  no  cause  to  apprehend  any 
acts  of  piracy  from  us. 

The  functions  of  ])on  Antonio,  as  Governor,  ail  in- 
terim, having  ceased  on  the  arrival  of  his  senior  from 
Santiago,  when  we  were  on  the  point  of  sailing,  we 
made  him  a  visit  as  soon  afier  his  ariivdl  as  eii(juette 
would  permit.  He  gave  us  a  most  cordial,  hank,  and 
friendly  reception,  and  expressed  much  regret  at  having 


NATIVE  INHABITANTS, 


183 


been  absent  on  our  arrival  ;  as,  he  sa'd,  not  only  would 
the  trouble  wo  bad  experienced  have  been  avoided,  but 
he  would  have  obtained  permission  for  us  to  visit  Siin- 
tiago.  The  order  for  our  departtuc,  liowever,  being 
now  given  by  the  Caplain-CJeneral  was  irrevocable,  and 
be  tliereforo  hoped  there  would  be  no  further  delay. 
On  taking  leave,  he  inundated  us  with  civilities  and 
good  wishes,  promising,  moreover,  to  use  bis  best  en- 
deavours to  bring  the  afl'air  of  our  unfortunate  country- 
man, Ifowan,  to  a  speedy  and  satisfactory  conclusion. 
These  civilities,  professions,  and  promises,  passed  with 
us  for  no  more  than  they  were  worth,  after  the  observa- 
tions our  o|)portunities  had  aflbrded  us,  of  judging  of 
the  character,  and  motives  of  action,  of  the  authorities 
here. 

It  was  now  the  Gtb  day  of  May,  being  two  and  a  half 
months  from  the  date  of  our  arrival  ;  a  long  time,  con- 
sidering that  we  were  allowed  only  twenty-four  hours 
by  the  Captain-(>eneral,  to  remain  in  port  ;  and  for  the 
third  tinie  had  settled  our  accounts,  and  made  all  ready 
for  our  departure.  No  further  obstacle  to  our  sailing 
occurring,  and  having  laUen  leave  of  our  acquaintance 
and  countrymen,  we  left  \'al])araiso,  to  the  "'"at  satis- 
faction of  tin;  dovernor  and  authorities,  no  less  than  of 
ourselves. 

])urina  or.r  sojomn  at  A'alparaiso,  we  bad  become 
accpiainled  with,  and  were  in  the  habit  of  visiting  on 
familiar  terms,  several  interesting  native  families  ;  for 
the  nntivt!  inhabitants  sympatbi'/cd  with  us,  and  con- 
demned tliO  mifriendly  course  manifested  towards  us  by 
their  rulers.  They  seemed,  generally,  to  be  awaken- 
ing to  a  sense  of  the  abject  state  of  vassalage  in  which 
iliey  were  held  by  their  Jviropean  masters  ;   the  posts 


184 


SECOND   VOYAGE.— LELIA   BYUI). 


of  lienor  iinJ  profit  being  exclusively  in  possession  of 
Europeans,  lo  the  great  annoyance  of  the  Creoles. 
Bursts  of  indignation,  at  these  and  other  grievances 
connected  with  thcni  would  soinelinies  escape  them, 
which  were  generally  accompanied  with  a  hope  that  the 
period  of  einanci|)ation  was  not  very  distant. 

Such  sentiments  were  met  by  us  with  corresponding 
ones,  by  drawing  a  parallel  between  their  country  ami 
ours,  while  each  was  under  a  colonial  system  of  gov- 
ernment, by  adverting  to  the  greater  physical  means  in 
their  possession  to  cuiible  them  to  throw  ofl'  the  yoke, 
than  was  possessed  by  the  Anglo-Americans,  in  the 
beginning  of  their  Revolution,  by  demonstrating  to  them 
the  greatly  increased  value  of  the  products  of  their 
soil,  and  the  diminished  prices  at  which  they  would 
receive  the  manufactures  of  Europe,  when  their  com- 
merce should  be  freed  from  the  shackles  to  which 
tyranny  and  folly  had  so  long  subjected  it  ;  and  finally, 
by  remarking  on  the  paralysing  and  debasing  efl'ects  on 
the  mind,  which  are  inseparable  from  a  protracted  state 
of  dependence  and  vassalage.  Eor  the  better  promo- 
tion of  the  embryo  cause,  we  gave  them  a  copy  of  our 
Federal  Constitution,  and  a  translation  into  Spanish,  of 
our  Declaration  of  Independence. 

\'alparaiso  probably  is  indebted  for  its  name  to  its 
romantic  scenery  and  to  the  salubrity  of  its  climate,  for 
in  no  other  respect  does  it  deserve  the  ap|)ellalion.* 
Between  the  base  of  the  hills  and  the  sea,  there  is  a 
street  of  moderate  breadth,  which  is  bounded  on  the 
west  by  high  and  precipitous  hills  ;  and  on  the  cast,  is 
continued   to  the  adjoining  village  of  Almendrale.      In 


I 


Val-Paraiso,  Vnlley  of  Furadico. 


COMMERCE   OF  THE  COUXTJIY. 


185 


this  street  are  tlie  best  houses  ;  some  of  which  are  two 
stories  high,  of  l)rick  plastered,  and  of  ordinary  siriic- 
tiire  and  appearance.  Crossing  this  street  at  right  an- 
gles, are  others  in  the  deep  chasms  between  the  hihs, 
wliicli  soon  cease  to  be  streets,  and  become  crooked 
and  narrow  |)aths,  leading  up  on  either  side  the  hills, 
to  cottages  and  huts  of  very  mean  apjjearance.  The 
church,  'vhich  is  a  very  ordinary  structure,  is  situated 
on  an  elcation  on  one  of  the  cross  streets,  and  near 
the  centre  of  the  town.  The  castle,  including  the 
Ciovcrnor's  residence,  fronts  on  the  bay,  and  is  a  di- 
lapidated enclosure,  unworthy  of  the  name. 

The  bay  of  Valparaiso  is  spacious,  and  being  shel- 
tered from  the  south  winds,  which  prevail  diu'ing  seven 
months  of  the  year,  from  October  to  May,  is  very 
smooth  and  safe  riding  for  ships  during  that  season. 
At  the  season  when  the  north  winds  prevail,  from  May 
to  October,  it  is  dangerous  lying  there,  as  there  is  no 
shelter  from  this  wind,  and  its  usual  accon)paninient, 
a  rough  sea,  which  sometimes  comes  in  with  a  force 
and  impetuosity  that  cannot  be  resisted,  even  with  the 
best  ground-tackle.  It  is  the  nearest  seaport  to  San- 
tiago, the  capital  of  Chili  ;  and  hence  derives  an  im- 
portance, which  it  possesses  not  intrinsically. 

Th(?  native  inhabitants  are  generally  amiable,  hospit- 
able, indolent,  and  ignorant.  It  seems  as  if  it  were 
the  policy  of  the  existing  government  to  discom-age 
industry  by  the  trammels  to  which  the  commerce  of  the 
country  is  subjected.  If  a  greater  quantity  of  wheat, 
or  other  perishable  commodity  is  raised,  than  can  find 
vent  through  the  narrow  channels  that  are  ojirn,  it  is 
lost  to  the  cultivator  ;  and  copper,  the  oilier  staple  pro- 
duct of  Chili,  is,  by  the  same  governmental  restrictions 
IG* 


186 


SECOND  VOYAGE.  —  LTAAA   BYRD. 


on  commerce,  kept  at  a  price  not  exceeding  half  its 
value.     The    government,    also,    and    particularly   the 
ecclesiastical  part  of  it,  are  sensible  that  their  power 
rests  on  the  ignorance  of  the  people  ;  hence  the  exces- 
sive dread  of  the  introduction  of  all  books  ;  the  watch- 
fulness of  the  priests  to  guard   their  flocks  against  pos- 
sessing   any    volume,   which   they   have    not  seen    and 
approved,  as  well  as  against  the  contaminating  influence 
and  opinions  of  foreign   heretics.     The  care,  anxiety, 
and  efforts  made  by  them,  to  suppress  all  means  of  in- 
formation, do   not,  however,  pass  unobserved  by  many 
of  'lie  most  sensible  Creoles,  who  seem  to  be  waking 
up  to  a  sense  of  their  degradation.     With  these  the 
seed  is   planted,  which,   in  due  time,  may  be  expected 
to  bring  forth  abundant  fruit. 


FAME  OF    OUR  COXTUOVERSY. 


187 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

Arrive  at  the  Gallipagos  Islaruis.  —  Transactions  tliere. —  Departure. 

—  Siiij^iilar  F'law  of  Wind.  —  Arrival  at  San  Bias Visited  by 

tli(>  ('omiiiisiiary  —  Agreement  with  Him.  —  Opposed  by  the  Gov- 
ernor. —  Character  '>f  the  Governor.  —  Controversy  between  the 
Governor  and  Comniissnry. —  Order  to  leave  San  Bias. — Ar- 
rangenient  with  Ilouissillon.  —  He  leaves  us  for  Mexico.  —  Go 
to  the  Three  Maria  Islands.  —  Embarrassment.  —  Letter  from 
Rou'ssiHon.  —  Death  of  the  Governor.  —  Catch  a  Sun  Fish. — 
Descri|)tion  of  Three  Marias.  —  Return  again  to  San  Bias.  — 
Proposal  for  the  Cargo.  —  Return  of  Rouissillon. —  Sale  of  Part 
of  the  Cargo.  —  Purchase  Sea  Otters'  Skins.  — Suspicion  of 
Treachery.  —  Take  final  Leave  of  Rouissillon.  —  His  Character. 

—  Death.  —  Again  anchor  at  the  Three  Marias.  —  Discover  a 
Traitor  in  the  Mate.  —  Seize  his  Papers.  —  Remarks  thereon. 


Our  long  detention,  and  unfortunate  controversy  at 
Valparaiso,  operated  unfavoraljly  to  our  prospects,  as 
our  vessel,  ourselves,  and  the  disturbances  we  had 
caused,  had  become  known,  not  only  to  the  govern- 
pient  officers,  but  to  almost  the  whole  population  of  the 
various  ports  of  Chili  and  Peru,  included  between  Val- 
paraiso and  Lima.  To  enter,  therefore,  any  other  port 
between  those  limits,  or  to  be  captured  in  the  neigh- 
boiuhood  of  any  one  of  them,  would  subject  us  to  the 
risk  of  confiscation.  It  was,  consequently,  judged  to 
be  most  j)rudcnt  to  proceed  to  some  place  so  distant 
from  the  scene  of  our  late  transactions,  that  the  knowl- 
edge of  them  could  not  have  preceded  us.     This  object 


'I 


188 


SECOND   VOYAGK.  —  LKLIA    BYIU). 


wouhl,  doubtless,  be  realized  in  any  of  tlie  ports  of  the 
Vice-Royally  of  Mexico  ;  and,  from  various  sources 
of  Information,  we  were  induced  to  believe  that  San 
Bias  oflered  the  greatest  facilities  for  the  disposal  of 
our  cargo,  with  the  least  risk  attending  it.  To  San 
Bias,  therefore,  we  determined  to  proce(;d,  touching  on 
our  way,  at  the  (Jallipagos  Islands. 

In  conformity  with  this  determination,  we  shaped  our 
course,  and  having  none  other  than  the  favorable  winds, 
delightful  weather,  and  smooth  sea,  which  are  peculiar 
to  this  region,  we  arrived  and  anchored  at  the  bottom 
of  a  spacious  bay  at  Albemarle  Island,  on  the  oOth  of 
May,  at  about  a  mile  distant  from  the  shore,  and  oppo- 
site a  beach  of  black  sand.  Here  we  passed  a  week 
very  agreeably  in  rambling  about  the  island  ;  and  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  freedom  of  action  and  of  will,  the  more 
highly  prized  and  enjoyed,  from  the  restraint  to  which 
we  had  been,  of  late,  so  much  subjected  ;  and  not  unlike 
what  the  schoolboy  feels  when  emancipated  from  the 
control  of  the  master.  The  fish  were  so  abundant,  at 
our  anchorage,  that  no  skill  was  required  in  taking  ihein. 
As  many  hooks  as  were  lowered  and  baited,  would 
bring  up  fish,  and  this  as  fast  as  we  could  haul  them  in  ; 
so  that  beside  having  abundance  for  the  immediate  use 
of  all,  we  salted  a  barrel  full  for  consuinj)lion  on  the 
passage.  In  size,  texture,  and  flavor,  they  had  a  great 
affinity  to  the  cod.  The  tmlles  are  very  abundant  and 
taken  with  great  ease.  We  took  on  board  as  many  as 
there  was  a  prospect  of  our  being  able  to  consume. 
Guanos  of  various  sizes  and  colors,  are  exceedingly 
numerous  here.  They  are  said  to  be  as  delicate  and 
agreeable  food  as  the  chicken  ;  but  the  ship's  company 
had  the  same  antipathy  to  them,  which  is  so  universal 


f 


I 


AKUIVAL  AT  SAN   BLA9. 


189 


4 


with  regard  to  snakes  ;  and  while  they  had  siicli  a  boun- 
tiful supply  of  fine  fish  and  turtle,  they  had  no  disposi- 
tion lo  try  the  guano.  We  traversed  various  parts  of 
the  island,  and  camped  out  one  night,  in  search  of 
water,  but  found  none,  though  there  were  evidences  of 
its  being  abundant  at  some  seasons  of  the  year. 

Having  satisfactorily  accomplished  the  object  of  our 
visit,  we  sailed  on  the  Sth  of  June  for  San  lilas.  While 
yet  but  a  few  miles  from  Albemarle  Island,  and  going 
with  a  moderate  breeze,  during  the  first  watch,  the 
weather  clear  and  the  sea  smooth,  we  experienced  a 
very  singular  flaw  of  wind,  which,  without  any  warning, 
and  without  being  felt  on  deck,  or  by  the  sails  on  the 
mainmast,  carried  the  fore-topmast  over  the  side,  after 
which  it  became  calm,  and  so  continued  for  more  than 
two  hours. 

In  a  few  days  after  leaving  the  island,  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  coast,  in  the  vicinity  of  Acapulco,  and  from 
that  time,  having  delightful  weather,  we  kept  the  land 
in  sight  every  day,  till  our  arrival  in  the  bay  of  San 
Bias,  on  the  lllh  of  .luly.  It  is  very  remarkable,  and 
strongly  indicative  of  the  low  state  of  the  Spanish 
commerce  in  these  seas,  at  this  period,  that,  from  the 
time  of  our  departure  from  Valparaiso,  to  that  of  our 
arrival  here,  and  sailing  all  the  time  not  very  distant 
from  the  most  beautiful  coast  lo  navigate,  in  the  world, 
we  did  not  meet  or  see  a  vessel  of  any  description. 

Our  reception  at  San  Bias  formed  a  contrast  to  that 
experienced  on  arriving  at  Valparaiso.  A  fiiendly 
welcome  bom  those  in  authority,  and  encouragement  to 
expect  that  our  wants  would  be  supplied  ;  and  though 
this  welcome  was  from  subalterns,  and  might  not  be 
sanctioned    by   their    superiors,   it    was,    nevertheless, 


190 


SECOND  VOYAGE.  —  I.EI.IA  BYRD. 


viewed  by  us  as  a  favorable  omen.  At  tliis  season  of 
the  year,  San  Bias  is  a  very  iinhealiliy  residence  ;  and 
in  consequence,  it  is  the  practice  of  tlie  Governor,  the 
Commissary  of  the  Arsenal,  and  the  most  opulent  of 
the  inhabitants  to  reside  at  Tipec,  a  healthy  and  pleas- 
ant town,  about  twenty  leagues  distant,  in  the  interior. 
Notice  of  our  arrival  having  been  sent  to  them,  the 
Commissary  came  down  immediately  ;  and  on  a  first 
interview  with  him,  we  had  much  reason  to  flatter  our- 
selves, that  the  current  of  our  affairs  would  meet 
with  less  obstruction,  than  we  had  hitherto  experi- 
enced. There  was  no  hesitation  on  his  part,  in  en- 
gaging to  supjjly  us  with  every  thing  our  necessities 
required  ;  and  ascertaining  we  had  some  boxes  of  tin 
plate,  which  was  exceedingly  wanted,  he  engaged  to  take 
these  in  payment,  at  a  very  great  advance  on  its  cost. 
This  arrangement  being  made  with  the  Commissary, 
required  the  sanction  of  the  Governor  before  it  could 
be  carried  into  effect. 

Our  friend  Rouissillon,  being  very  desirous  of  visit- 
ing Mexico,  was  determined,  on  this  account,  no  less 
than  from  the  desire  of  obtaining  permission  from  the 
Viceroy  to  dispose  of  our  cargo  here,  to  leave  no  efi'ort 
untried  to  obtain  the  requisite  passport.  With  this 
view,  he  accompanied  the  Commissary  to  Tipec,  on 
his  return  thither.  By  a  letter  from  him,  dated  a  few 
days  after  his  arrival,  we  had  cause  to  apprehend,  that 
obstacles  to  our  success  would  be  in  no  degree  less 
than  tliose  we  had  experienced  at  Valparaiso.  The 
Governor,  he  represented  to  be  a  proud,  vain,  and  very 
passionate  man,  unaccustomed  to  any  opposition  to  his 
will,  and  indignant  that  the  Commissary  should  have 
presumed  to  enter  into  any  engagement  with  us,  without 


I 


GOVKRNOU   AM)   COMMISPAUV. 


191 


ilhout 


first  consulting  liim.  He  had,  tliciofore,  refused  to 
coufirni  the  doings  of  llie  Conunissary,  positively  foihid- 
den  the  landing  of  the  tin,  and  decided  that  our  sii|)j)lies 
must  be  paid  for  by  a  draft  on  the  Ameiican  ambassa- 
dor at  Madrid. 

We  had  now  been  the  means  of  placing  in  hostile 
attitudes  the  two  great  officers  of  the  govcrrmienl.  The 
Commissary,  whose  appointment  emanated  from  the  same 
source  as  that  of  the  Governor's,  and  whose  line  of  duty 
was  distinct  and  independent  of  him,  was  exceedingly 
mortified  and  piqued,  at  the  altitude  in  which  he  was 
placed,  and  seemed  determined  not  to  submit  to  it. 
The  Governor,  who  could  not  brook  opposition  to  his 
will,  was  inca[)able  of  concealing  his  wrath  ;  hence  the 
quarrel  became  known,  and  was  soon  the  all-absorbing 
topic  of  the  inhabitants  of  Tipec.  The  feelings  of  the 
con)munity  became  enlisted  on  one  side  or  the  other  ; 
but  the  preponderance  was  as  greatly  on  the  side  of 
the  Commissary,  as  the  native  population  exceeded  the 
foreign.  JSuch  general  excitement,  however,  as  this 
little  aii'air  had  caused,  was  never  before  known  in  this 
hitherto  quiet  and  didl  town.  An  unfortunate  lieuten- 
ant in  llie  army,  who  had  the  temerity  to  say  a  word 
in  disapprobation  of  the  course  of  the  Governor,  was 
imniediately  ordered  under  arrest. 

While  the  chiefs  and  ])o[iulace  of  Ti|)ec  were  en- 
gaged in  an  angry  controversy  on  our  account,  we  had 
passed  a  week,  free  from  annoyance,  at  San  Bias  ; 
where  we  hud  i)rocured  a  new  topmast,  filled  (jur  water- 
casks,  and  obtained  all  the  supplies  we  had  asked.  But 
it  became  very  evident,  tluil  the  rancorous  hostility  of 
the  Governor  would  eliectually  prevent  the  disposal  of 
any  part  of  our  cargo,  notwithstanding  the  aid   which 


192 


SF.CON'D  VOYAGE. —  LKLIA  nVIlD. 


the  Commissary  was  disposed  to  give  us.  Indeed, 
wilhout  any  reference  to  payment,  and  at  the  same 
time  with  the  receipt  of  the  supplies,  was  received 
an  order  for  our  immediately  leaving  the  i)ort,  accom- 
panied with  a  threat,  in  case  of  disobedience,  of  or- 
dering out  the  gun-boats  to  drive  us  away.  The  possi- 
bility of  such  an  event  iiad  been  anticipated,  and  its  in- 
jurious efTects  guarded  against,  by  an  understanding  with 
Rouissillon,  that  we  should  go  to  the  Three  Maria 
Islands,  which  are  about  sixty  miles  distant,  and  there 
remain  until  his  return  from  INIexico,  for  which  city  he 
was  in  momentary  expectation  of  loceiving  a  passport, 
and  where,  he  had  great  encouragement  to  believe,  he 
should  obtain  permission  to  dispose  of  our  cargo,  or  at 
least  of  some  part  of  it.  Of  the  result  of  his  negotia- 
tion, he  would  inform  us  by  a  boat,  which  should  be 
despatched  to  the  Islands,  innnediately  on  his  return  to 
San  Bias,  which,  it  was  supposed,  would  be  in  the 
course  of  six  or  eight  weeks. 

There  being  no  further  cause  for  remaining  here,  we 
readily  obeyed  the  order  of  the  Governor,  without  put- 
ting him  to  the  trouble  of  enforcing  it  ;  and,  having 
signed  duplicate  receipts  for  the  amount  of  our  suji- 
plies,  we  sailed,  in  the  evening  of  the  1st  of  August,  as 
soon  as  the  land  breeze  came  off.  The  next  day  we 
anchored  in  a  beautiful,  smooth,  sandy  bay,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  middle  island,  at  about  two  cables' 
length  from  the  shore,  and  perfectly  secure  from  the 
violence  of  the  southeast  winds,  which,  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  blow  occasional 


illy 


great 


we  again  enjoyed  the  great  pleasure  of  uncontrolled 
action  ;  and  here,  without  molestation,  we  improved 
the  opportunity  of  overhauling  the  rigging,  repairing  the 


pre\ 

way 

rain^ 

to 

not 

this 

whei 

in 

und 

sea. 

shor 

was 

idea 

tanc( 


I 


EXCURSIONS   ON   SMOKE. 


193 


I 


sails,  l)iiisliii)g  up  the  vessel,  and  procuring  a  good 
supply  ot  111(1,  \v!)ifli  was  very  abundant,  of  good  (jnali- 
ly,  and  obtained  with  great  ease.  In  tlie  performance 
of  lliese  necessary  labors,  with  alternate  periods  of  rec- 
reation on  shore,  we  had  consumed  five  weeks  ;  and 
then,  desirous  of  changing  the  scene,  we  visited  the 
northern  island  of  the  group,  and  found  as  good  anchor- 
age in  a  bay,  on  the  eastern  side  of  this  island,  as  tiiat 
we  had  just  left.  After  passing  nearly  a  week  at  this 
beautiful  island,  we  retiuned  to  our  former  anchorage,  at 
the  mitidle  island,  in  the  hope  and  expectation  of  see- 
ing the  messenger  from  I{ouissillon  the  following  week. 
IJut  the  following,  and  even  the  tenth  week,  since 
leaving  San  Bias,  passed  away  ;  and  the  messenger 
'    failed  to  make  his  appearance. 

We  made  excursions  on  shore,  every  day,  for  the 
advantage  of  exercise  and  recreation,  and  frequently 
permitted  the  crew  to  do  the  same,  one  half  at  a  time. 
The  underwood  formed  an  impassable  barrier,  which 
prevented  our  penetrating  to  the  interior  in  any  other 
way  than  by  the  gullies,  which  had  been  made  by  the 
rains.  It  was  unusual  for  my  friend  vShaler  and  myself 
to  leave  the  vessel  at  the  same  time,  because  we  had 
not  much  confiilence  in  the  mate  ;  but,  occasionally, 
this  precaution  was  neglected.  On  one  of  those  days, 
when  we  were  on  shore  together,  we  were  astonished, 
in  emerging  from  the  woods,  to  perceive  our  ship, 
under  sail,  a  long  way  to  leeward,  and  standing  out  to 
sea.  Although  the  wind  blew  strong,  yet  it  was  ofl' 
shore  ;  conseciuently,  the  water  was  smooth,  and  there 
was  no  reason  to  suppose  the  cable  had  ])arted.  'i'he 
idea,  therefore,  suggested  itself  to  our  minds,  simul- 
taneously, that  the  mate  was   going   ofi'  with   the   ship. 

VOL,    I.  17 


194 


SKCONU  vuvAia:,  —  li:lia  uvud. 


With  such  an  iiiiprcssioii,  on  a  desert  island,  wiihoni  a 
boat,  withoiir  provisions,  and  destitute  of  a  ei)an{^e  of 
clothing,  our  situation  may  easily  be  imagined  to  have 
been  a  forlorn  one.  Watching,  therefore,  with  intense 
interest,  in  the  hope  of  seeing  the  ship  tack,  and  per- 
ceiving that  she  kept  on  her  course  seaward,  until  her 
hull  was  scarcely  discernible,  we  began  to  believe  in 
the  correctness  of  our  fnst  impressions,  and  to  despair 
of  again  controlling  the  destiny  of  the  Leiia  liyrd, 
when  we  had  the  great  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  wear 
round,  and  stand  in  for  the  anchorage.  In  about  six 
hours  from  the  time  of  parting  the  cable,  she  again  cast 
anchor  in  the  biiy,  and  we  were  rejoiced  to  find  our 
suspicions  misplaced.  It  appeared  that  the  anchorage 
was  less  clear  than  we  had  suj)posed,  antl  that  the  cable 
bad  been  chafed  oil'. 

Such  a  protracted  state  of  suspense  and  uncertain- 
ty had  become  extremely  irksome  and  embarrassing. 
With  the  great  loss  of  time  and  consequent  expense, 
our  provisions  and  stores  were  daily  diminishing,  with- 
out our  perceiving  how  or  where  they  could  he  re- 
placed. It  had  become  therefore  indispensable,  that  a 
decision  should  not  be  delayed,  as  to  our  next  move  ; 
and  the  choice  was  presented,  of  going  avay  without 
hearing  from  Rouissillnn,  or  of  risking  the  ellect  of  the 
Governor's  hostility,  by  again  entering  the  roadstead  of 
San  Bias.  The  latter  appearing  to  us  to  be  the  least 
of  the  two  difficulties,  when  viewed  as  connected  with 
the  disposal  of  our  cargo,  we  acted  in  conformity.  Our 
advances,  when  nearing  the  port,  w(,'re  made  with  cau- 
tion ;  and  every  preparation  was  made  to  repel  any 
force  that  might  be  sent  to  molest  us.  In  the  afternoon 
of 'the  I4th  day  of  October,  being  nearly  up  with   the 


I 


LiriTKIl   FIIO.M   UOI'IfSIM.d.N. 


195 


4 
■ 


romnrk.'iblo  rock  at  tlio  wrstern  ciilianrc  of  the  hay  of 
San  JMas,  it  was  coii'^idercd  to  be  most  prudent  not 
to  anchor.  We  therefore  lay  hy  all  night  in  sight  of 
the  town,  using  all  retjiiisite  caution  sgainst  being  taken 
by  surprise. 

Karly  the  following  morning,  we  perceived  a  canoe 
approaching  us,  paddled  hy  Indians  ;  and,  soon  after, 
they  were  alongside,  and  handed  us  the  long  expected 
letter  from  IJouissillou.  It  was  dated  at  (juadalaxara, 
on  his  way  to  Mexico  ;  and  its  contents  were  of  the 
most  encouraging  character.  He  had  been  treated  with 
great  kindness  and  hospitality  by  many  of  the  most 
respectaide  inhal)itants  of  the  ])lace,  whence  his  letter 
was  dated.  He  had  received  a  very  civil  letter  from 
the  N'iceroy,  accom|ianied  with  a  passport  for  the  capi- 
tal, and  a  permission  to  sell,  at  San  Bias,  a  sudicient 
amount  of  t!ie  cargo  to  ])ay  for  the  supplies  with  which 
we  hail  been  provided,  and  expressed  a  confidence  of 
success  in  obtaining  permission  to  sell  the  whole  car- 
go, and  to  return  to  San  Bias,  in  the  course  of  a 
week  or  ten  days.  This  was,  indeed,  intelligence  of  a 
very  exhilarating  character,  and  tended  to  annihilate 
those  forebodings  of  failure,  for  which,  before  the  re- 
ceipt of  this  letter,  there  was  but  too  great  cause. 
Among  other  items,  Kouissillon  informed  us,  that,  in 
consequence  of  the  combined  representation  of  the 
Commissary  and  himself,  backed  by  several  of  the  most 
respectable  peo|)le  of  Tipec,  of  the  very  unci\il  and 
rude  treatment  of  the  CJovernor,  towards  citizens  of  a 
power  in  amity  with  Spain,  he  had  been  reprimanded 
by  the  Viceroy.  Being  in  feeble  health,  this  circum- 
stance, combined  with  the  vexation  produced  by  per- 
ceiving hiu)self  to  be  out  generalled  by  the  Commissary, 


196 


SECOND    VOYArtI'..  — l.ELIA  BVliD. 


acting  upon  an  exccc'iing]y  irritable  temperament,  had 
produced  a  fever,  wliicli  terminated  his  existence,  about 
a  week  previous  to  the  (hate  of  the  letter. 

Having  despatched  the  Inthans  with  a  reply  to  IJonis- 
sillon's  letter,  \vc  agiiin  returned  to  our  old  anchorage 
at  the  northern  island  ;  for,  notwithstanding  there  was 
no'v  no  longer  any  danger  in  lying  at  anchor  near  »San 
Bias,  yet,  as  the  regulations  made  it  imjierative,  that 
we  should  receive  a  guard  on  board  while  there,  it  was 
considered  to  be  worth  all  the  trouble  of  goinf  to  the 
islands,  if  only  to  be  emancipated  from  this  incum- 
brance. Our  excursions  over  them  had  been  so  often 
repeated,  that  there  seemed  to  be  no  other  inducement 
to  penetrate  into  their  woods  than  a  desire  for  exercise. 
A  deviation  from  the  general  monotony  of  our  situation 
occurred,  one  day,  in  the  taking  of  an  enormous  fish. 
A  school  of  them  had  been,  several  hours,  gambolling 
about  the  bay,  sometimes  throwing  themselves  wholly 
out  of  the  water,  and  coming  down  into  it  again  v.ilh  a 
splash  and  foam,  which  might  be  heard  at  the  distance 
of  a  mile.  As  they  approached  oiu'  anchorage,  the 
mate  and  two  men  went  in  the  jolly-boat,  and  succeeded 
in  throwing  the  harpoon  into  one  of  them.  The  mon- 
ster, feeling  the  wound,  darted  of}',  seaward,  like  a  shot. 
As  soon  as  he  had  taken  of]'  about  twenty  fathoms  of 
whale  line,  the  end  of  which  was  made  fast  to  the  boat, 
he  carried  oil'  the  boat  with  such  prodigious  velocity, 
that  it  W!>.s  only  by  good  steering,  and  keej)ing  her  in  a 
direct  line  with  his  coiu'se,  that  she  was  prevented  from 
swamping.  It  was  an  amusing  spectacle  to  see  the 
boat  going  off  with  such  great  raj)idily,  and  for  sucJi  a 
distance,  without  perceiving  the  propelling  power.  At 
length,  after  having  run   about   a   mile,  he  became  ex- 


UKTUllN   TO   SA.V   lil.AS. 


197 


liaiistcrl  ;  and  the  men  in  tlie  boat  liaiiled  in  tlie  line, 
until  tl)ey  canjc  up  with  liini,  when  they  contrived  to 
get  his  head  towards  liie  island  ;  and  after  a  moment, 
as  it  were  to  breathe,  he  returned  with  almost  ccpial  ve- 
locity. When  near  the  island,  they  hauled  up  to  him, 
and,  by  beating  him  with  the  oars,  drove  him  on  shore. 
He  was  supposed  to  be  a  sunfish.  in  shape  not  unlike 
a  flounder,  and  weighed  seven  or  eight  hundred  pounds. 
'JMie  beaiuilul  group  of  islands,  called,  from  their 
number,  the  Three  Marias,  where  we  had  passed  so 
many  weeks,  ]iresents  to  the  view,  from  the  shore  to 
their  smnmits,  a  thicket  of  trees  and  underwood  of  the 
most  luxuriant  verdure.  So  strongly  interlaced  is  this 
underwood,  that  it  is  impenetrable  ;  and  it  is  only 
through  the  deep  ravines  made  by  the  rains,  that  any 
part  of  the  interior  can  he  reached.  These  islands 
'%  abound  with  rabbits,  raccoons,  turtles,  wild  pigeons,  par- 

rots, parro(piets,  and  various  kinds  of  beautiful  small 
birds.  Wood  suitable  for  fuel,  is  procurable  in  any 
quantity,  with  nifuleralc  labor.  Among  the  hard  woods, 
lignumvita?  is  very  abundant.  Water  is  procurable  only 
at  the  issue  of  the  ravines,  after  a  considerable  rain,  ex- 
cepting at  the  eastern  side  of  the  northern  island,  wlieie 
there  is  a  well,  which  never  failed  to  yield  us  an  abun- 
dant su|)ply. 

The  time  agreed  upon,  for  our  return  to  San  Bias, 
having  arrived,  we  again  proceeded  thither,  and  an- 
chored in  the  roads,  on  the  2()th  of  October.  The 
usual  guard  were  immediately  sent  on  board,  the  ser- 
geant of  which  was  tli(>  bearer  of  a  polite  note  from  the 
Commandant  of  the  Ifesguardo,  desiring  to  be  informed 
of  the  object  of  our  return.  A  visit  from  him,  almost 
simultaneously,  superseded  the  necessity  of  a  reply,  as 
17  * 


198 


SECOMU    VOVACK,  — LELIA   IIVKD. 


be  immediately  acknowledged  it  to  be  only  a  piece  of 
necessary  foiinality  witiioul  meaning.  Tiiere  was  a 
general  iVeedoni  and  ease  observable  in  bis  manner, 
wbicb  formed  a  contrast  wilb  tliat  manifested  at  our 
previous  visit  ;  from  wbicb  we  infened,  tbat  ibe  new 
Governor  was  of  a  cbaracter  less  severe  and  exacting 
tlian  bis  predecessor,  and,  consequently,  tbat  ue  niigbt 
indulge  a  bope  of  being  permitted  to  proceed  in  tlie  ac- 
complisbment  of  our  business,  witbout  encountering  any 
new  obstacles. 

By  a  letter  from  Rouissillon,  dated  at  Mexico,  we 
found,  tbat  tbere  was  cause  to  appiebend  tbat  be  bad 
been  too  sanguine  of  success.  His  memorial  to  tbo 
Viceroy  bad  not  produced  tbe  desired  eliect  ;  and  an 
order,  tbat  tbe  (jover.ior  sbould  demand  of  us  a  list  of 
tbe  stores  wbicb  we  needed,  and  tbat,  as  soon  as  tbey 
were  supplied,  we  sbould  leave  llie  port,  presented  but 
discouraging  prospects  for  llie  result  of  bis  eti'orls  at 
Mexico.  Jn  reply  to  tbe  (iovernor,  we  expressed  re- 
gret at  our  inability  to  specify  tbe  tpiantity  of  tbe  stores 
required,  from  not  baving  been  informed  by  Mr.  Jfouis- 
sillon  for  wbat  destination  be  intended  tbe  sbip.  ])elay 
was  our  object,  ubilo  any  cbance  of  success  presented 
itself;  and  before  we  could  act  on  tbe  Governor's  letter, 
we  bad  tbe  pleasure  of  learning  from  our  friend,  tbat  a 
second  memorial,  acfonipanied  by  a  judicious  applica- 
tion of  a  small  ddiicrnr,  bad  been  tlie  means  of  obtain- 
ing leave  for  tbe  disj)osal  of  goods  to  tbe  amount  of  ten 
thousand  dollars.  At  tbe  same  time,  it  was  intimated, 
that,  by  agreeing  to  sell  tbe  cargo  at  a  trifling  advance 
on  tbe  invoice,  and  to  pariicidar  persons,  a  permissicn 
might  be  obtained  to  dispose  of  tbe  whole  ;  i.  e.  that 
if  we  would   consent  to  give   up  the   profit  we   were 


1 


IIKTL'K.N    OF   ROUItfSILLON. 


199 


seeking  to  those  who  liad  infiiience  vvitli  government, 
they  would  obtain  the  leqiiisilc  permission,  lioiiissil- 
lon,  iiowever,  dechned  the  proposal,  justly  concluding 
that,  with  the  above  permission,  as  great  an  amount  of 
profit  might  be  made  on  one  half  the  invoice,  as  the 
whole  would  produce  by  acceding  to  it. 
I  On  his  return   iVom  Mexico,  Mr.    Ifouissillon  passed 

1  a  forlnight   at   Tipec,   endeavouring  to  lind    purchasers 

'  for  the  cargo,  but  without  success.     He  arrived  at   San 

Bias  on  the  1 0th  of  December,  and  the  next  day  we 
oj)ene(l  our  sale  ;  but,  md'ortunately  for  us,  the  permis- 
sion was  so  limiteil,  that  the  merchants  of  Ciiadalaxara 
did  not  consider  it  an  object  suliiciently  great  to  induce 
them  to  come  on  ;  those  of  Tipec  were  very  inconsid- 
erable in  mnnber  and  means,  and  consequently  the  sale 
advanced  heavily. 
m  We  liid  now  reached  the  twelfth  day  of  the  new  year 

(1803),  and  the  prospects  of  a  favorable  result  of  our 
enterprise  were  very  small.  A  peremptory  order  for 
our  innnediate  departure  was  received  from  the  (Gov- 
ernor, who  observed  that,  presuming  we  should  readily 
obey  it,  he  had  written  to  the  \'iceroy  to  this  eli'ect  ; 
and,  therefore,  exacted  a  compliance.  This  order  woidd 
have  ijcen  obeyed  without  hesitation,  but  for  a  new 
object,  of  sutiicient  magnitude  to  induce  as  to  take  the 
risk  of  a  quarrel  for  its  aitainment.  An  arrival  from 
Californi.i  had  brought  a  quantity  of  sea  ottcis'  skins, 
which  wi;  hoped  to  be  able  to  purchase;  but,  as  the 
owner  of  them  was  at  Mexico,  a  few  days  was  neces- 
sarily rcipiired  for  the  negotiation.  \\'e  therefore  re- 
monsiralcd  with  the  Clovernor,  urged  the  inq)()ssibility 
of  obedience  to  his  order,  and  reipiested  the  liberty  of 
remaining  a   few    days  longer.     As   the  Governor  de- 


200 


SECOND  VOYAGE.—  I.ELIA  nvnn. 


4V. 


clincd  taking  this  responsibility  wholly  on  his  own 
shoulders,  he  called  a  council  of  ofllcers,  who  came  to 
the  determination  that  we  might  remain  ten  days  longer. 
This  was  sufficient  for  oiu'  |)ur|)ose.  We  succeeded  in 
purchasing  sixteen  hundred  sea  otters'  skins,  on  such 
advantageous  terms,  that  it  would  secuie  our  \()yage 
from  loss,  even  if  we  made  no  further  sales. 

The  Governor  could  but  ill  conceal  his  vexation  at 
our  relusal  to  obey  his  order  for  oin*  departure  ;  and 
we  were,  therefore,  not  free  from  apprehension  tiiat  he 
had  some  sinister  design  in  consenting  to  our  remaining 
longer.  Various  reports  were  in  circulation  lending 
to  induce  us  to  be  at  all  times  on  our  guard.  The 
rumor  of  there  being  a  body  of  custom-house  guards  on 
their  way  hither  from  (niadalaxara,  whose  object  was 
to  search  our  vessel  for  money,  was  so'  current,  and 
appea'ed  to  be  so  j)robable,  that  we  were  induced  to 
agree  on  a  mode  of  proceeding,  in  the  event  of  such  an 
attempt.  Mr.  SliHer's  superior  knowledge  of  the 
Sj)anish  language  ..ladc  it  desirable  that  he  should  stay 
on  shore  to  transact  the  business  there,  while  1  remain- 
ed on  board  to  attend  to  the  duties,  and,  as  far  as  |irac- 
licable,  to  secure  the  safety  of  the  siiip  ;  for,  as  an 
apology  for  wearing  away  the  time  until  our  object  was 
accom|)lishcd,  wc  had  rigged  a  mizzenmast,  and  con- 
verted our  brig  into  a  shij).  As,  in  the  event  of  any 
hostile  movement  on  the  i)art  of  the  ^>paniards,  it  was 
not  probable  that  he  couUl  obtain  such  timely  notice  of 
it,  as  to  eflect  a  retreat,  it  was  agreed,  that  on  seeing 
them  approach,  I  should  get  the  ship  uiuhM'  way,  car- 
rying olf  the  Sj)anisli  guard,  and  lie  by  at  a  moderate 
distance,  where  1  coidd  make  reasonable  terms  for  the 
exchange  of  prisoners. 


si 
n? 
th 
av 

P 
en 

d( 
be 

mi 

Of 

ro 


APPREHENSIONS  OF  SEIZURE. 


201 


cnr- 


Wliile  in  this  state  of  apprehension,  and  about  the 
lime  it  was  supposed  the  i^uaids  iVnni  Guadalaxara 
would  arrive,  the  men  in  our  boat,  which  brougiit  off 
the  (hiy's  provisions,  reported  that  there  were  two  large 
launches  at  the  landing,  ready  manned.  The  men  were 
lying  on  their  oars,  apparently  waiting  the  arrival  of 
their  oHiccrs,  and  said  they  were  going  on  board  our 
vessel  for  a  hawser  we  had  borrowed.  Two  launches 
with  twenty  i)ien  each,  to  carry  on  shore  a  hawser,  was 
a  very  improbable  story  ;  and  as  I  could  imagine  no 
other  cause,  than  that  of  putting  into  execution  the 
rumored  search,  I  immediately  made  all  preparation  to 
avoid  it.  But,  as  it  was  exceedingly  desirable  to  avoid 
a  collision,  if  possible,  J  caused  all  the  sails  to  be 
loosed,  the  topsails  to  be  sheeted  home,  and  the  cable 
to  be  hove  short.  With  great  anxiety,  I  watched  the 
setting  in  of  the  sea  breeze,  which  was  unusually  late  ; 
but,  at  lenglh,  came  with  much  force,  and  dissipated 
our  apprehensions.  Desirous  of  being  relieved  from 
so  unpleasant  a  state  of  suspense,  I  despatched  the 
jolly-boat  with  a  letter  to  .Shaler,  informing  him  of  my 
suspicions,  the  measures  1  had  taken,  and  my  determi- 
nation to  be  of}",  if  the  jolly-boat  did  not  return  before 
the  sea  breeze  began  to  abate.  As  the  guard  could  not 
avoid  seeing  our  preparations,  1  advised  him  to  antici- 
pate any  thing  they  might  communicate  to  the  Gov- 
ernor, by  stating  the  facts  to  him  in  person. 

Wlialever  may  have  been  intended,  nothing  was 
done  ;  our  men  ])erformod  their  errand  and  returned  on 
board  unmolested.  The  next  day  the  Commandant 
made  us  a  visit  in  the  government  felucca  of  twenty 
oars,  and  with  the  royal  flag  displayed.  After  rowing 
round   the  vessel,   as  he  said,   to  sec  how   she   looked 


,.'t 


vri 


!<^,.v. 


202 


BKCOXD   VOYAr.E.  —  LEIJA   nVRI). 


rigged  as  a  ship,  lie  came  on  Ixiard,   and  partook  of  a 


CO 


llalic 


ul  b 


d  di 


\vas   engaget 


on,   uliicii  liatl   uecn   prepareu  uuring 


ihe  1 


iMie  Jic 


in  reconnoitring  our  vessel   wiilioiit  and 


within.  We  observed  him  to  be  j)ai'ticiilarly  attentive  to 
our  armament,  and  bis  imiuiries  relative  to  the  number 
of  small-arms  we  had  on  board,  &.c.,  led  us  to  believe 
that  the  object  of  his  visit  was  to  ascertain  our  strength. 

Apprehensive  that  we  might  be  ])oiinced  upon,  at 
any  moment,  by  an  overwhelming  force,  but  presuming 
that  they  would  wait  until  we  were  nearly  ready  to 
de])art,  as  then  the  prize  would  be  most  valuable,  and 
our  cul|)ability  most  paljiable,  it  was  importanl  that  the 
Commandant  should  be  kept  ignorant  of  our  intention. 
When  he  asked,  therefore,  if  we  intended  going  the 
following  day,  we  suggested  to  liim  that  we  could  not 
settle  our  accounts  with  the  Commissary  in  time  for 
that  purpose,  to  the  truth  of  which  he  assented.  As 
a  further  evidence  of  the  necessity  of  another  day's 
delay,  we  referred  to  the  large  bulk  and  amount  of 
merchandise,  yet  on  shore. 

This  merchandise,  to  the  value  of  about  throe  thous- 
and dollars,  was  intended  to  be  left  in  charge  of  Houis- 
sillon,  to  be  sold  for  our  account  ;  and  the  proceeds 
to  be  settled  for  when  we  should  meet  in  the  United 
States.  Alihough  no  permission  was  obtained  from 
the  (jovernor  for  taking  the  sea  otters'  skins  on  board, 
yet,  as  they  were  under  the  charge  of  the  Commissary, 
fiom  whom  we  received  them,   there  was  no  obstacle 


to  it.      It 


was  nearl 


(iarl 


i^y 


the  t 


I  me  we 


had 


receivet 


the  last  of  them  on  board  ;  and  tlieii  the  Commissary 
was  very  urgent,  that  we  should  not  delay  a  iiionient 
unnecessarily  before  putting  to  sea  ;  as  he  was  appre- 
hensive, that,  if  the  transaction  became  generally  known, 


partim;  with  uouissillon. 


203 


it  would  involve  liim,  as  well  as  ourselves,  in  trouble. 
However  friendly  this  advice,  it  was  not  needed,  as 
our  preparations  were  already  made  to  be  away,  as  soon 
as  llie  object,  for  which  we  had  been  so  solicitous,  was 
secured.  We  therefore  sent  the  guard  ashore  in  the 
launch  that  brought  otFthe  skins  ;  and  were  away  under 
a  crowd  of  sail,  before  even  the  launch  could  have 
reached  the  shore.  As  the  Commandant  had  no  doubt 
of  our  intention  to  remain  another  day,  if  his  designs 
were  what  we  had  strong  reason  to  suspect,  he  must 
liave  been  greatly  disappointed  in  the  morning,  to  dis- 
cover, that  "  the  bird  had  flown." 

It  was  with  feelings  of  deep  regret,  that  we  parted, 
here,  with  our  excellent  and  amiable  fiiend  the  Count 
John  de  Uouissillon,  with  whom  we  had  been  so  intimate- 
ly associated  for  so  long  a  period,  and  who  had  shared  so 
largely  in  the  various  perplexing  scenes,  incident  to  the 
prosecution  of  our  object.  To  his  address  and  per- 
severance we  were  mainly  indebted  for  the  permission 
obtained  from  the  ^'iceroy  of  Mexico,  for  the  sale  of 
a  part  of  our  cargo  ;  and  for  the  indulgence  of  the  addi- 
tional time  in  port,  necessary  to  secure  the  sea  otters' 
skins.  We  had  left  with  him,  manufactures  to  the 
amount  of  about  three  thousand  dollars  cost  ;  and  which 
were  worth,  at  the  actual  prices  there,  more  than  three 
limes  that  cost.  From  the  proceeds  of  tiiis,  after  de- 
fraying his  expenses,  he  was  to  account  with  us  in  the 
United  Stales,  where  we  anticipated  much  pleasure  in 
meeting  him,  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  year.  At 
parting,  he  ex])resse(l  the  unallo}  ed  enjoyment  he  had 
experienced  on  board,  his  gratefid  feelings  for  our  con- 
fidence, and  his  earnest  desire  of  realizing  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  us  again  in  that  land  of  liberty  and  of  equal 


204 


SECOND  VOYAGE.  —  l.nUA   BYHD. 


rights,  of  which,  he  said,  he  should  be  proud  to  become 
a  citizen. 

The  Count  de  Rouissilloii  was  the  descendant  of  an 
ancient  noble  family  of  Poland.  An  advocate  for  lib- 
erty, he  could  not  brook  the  subjugation  of  his  country  ; 
and  for  his  efforts  to  avert  it,  ho  was  proscribed,  and 
was  without  a  home  when  we  became  actpiainted  with 
him  at  Hamburgh.  Ho  possessed  a  powerful  intellect, 
and  gave  evidence,  that  great  care  had  been  taken  in 
its  cultivation.  His  acrpiircments  in  mathematics,  in 
astronomy,  in  music,  in  drawing,  were  very  respect- 
able, and  there  was  scarcely  a  Muropcau  language 
with  which  he  was  not  familiar.  Having  with  him, 
among  others,  books  in  the  I'ussian,  Polish,  and  (jcr- 
man  languages,  the  Spanish  authorities,  who  are  ex- 
tremelv  watchful  and  rit^orous  in  their  examination  of 
all  books,  were  actually  confounded  by  them  ;  but 
allowed  them  to  pass,  on  the  well-grounded  conviction, 
that  nobody  in  the  country  could  read  them,  and,  there- 
fore, that  they  could  do  no  harm.  For  these  attain- 
ments he  was  not  more  indebted  to  a  fine  intellect  than 
to  an  untiring  industry,  which  was  so  habitual,  that  he 
seemed  to  grudge  a  moment's  time  that  was  passed 
without  adding  something  to  his  knowledge.  So  that 
when  walking  the  deck  for  exercise,  if  there  was  no- 
body to  walk  and  converse  with  him,  he  would  be 
engaged  in  practising  some  new  music  on  his  (lute. 
Being  at  this  time  only  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  bis 
prospect  for  honorable  distinction  seemed  all  that  his 
ambition  could  desire  ;    but,    mifortimatclv,  his   earthi 


I 


dy 


course  was  cut  short  not  long  after  we  parted.  To  our 
great  grief  we  learned,  on  arriving  in  the  United  States, 
that  he  died  at  Mexico  some  time  in   the  year    1803. 


an 
nii 

be 
We 
no 
(he 
yoi 
pan 
to 
at 
pic; 
son 
the 
seizi 
for 
vl 


TRIiAf'MKUY     f)l'  Tin;   M ATK, 


205 


rthly 


Tlic  exclusive  policy  of  llie  Spanish  government,  relat- 
ing to  ill!  foreigners,  then  in  full  operation,  niatlc  it  so 
d-i(iit'iilt  to  ohlain  any  information  from  Mexico,  that 
we  were  ilisconraged  from  any  attempt  to  ascertain  the 
j)articnlars  of  his  death,  or  to  learn  what  became  of  onr 
property,  or  of  his  efl'ects  ;  and,  to  this  day,  we  remain 
in  ignorance  of  every  thing  relating  to  these  siihjc^cts. 

The  day  after  our  departure  from  San  Bias  we  an- 
chored once  more  in  the  hay  of  the  northern  Island  of 
the  Three  Marias  on  the  2Gdi  of  January,  1803.  More 
than  (ifleen  months  had  elapsed  since  onr  departure 
from  J'luropc,  and  our  vessel  being  coppered  to  light- 
water  mark  only,  we  now  perceived  that  the  worms  had 
made  dreadful  havoc  with  the  wooden  sheathina;.  It 
therefore  bad  become  necessary  to  careen  and  boot-top 
the  vessel  ;  an  operation  for  whitdi  we  were  but  poorly 
prepared  ;  and,  therefore,  in  the  performance  of  it, 
and  in  replenishing  our  stock  of  wood  and  water,  a  fort- 
night was  consumed. 

Here  we  accidentally  found  out  that  our  danger  of 
being  seized  at  San  IJlas  had  been  much  greater  than 
we  had  apprehended,  from  a  cause  of  which  we  had 
no  suspicion,  and  therefore  could  not  guard  against, 
the  treachery  of  the  chief  mate.  This  oflicer  was  a 
young  Englishman,  whose  conihict,  after  leaving  Val- 
paraiso, was  so  reprehensible  as  to  make  it  necessary 
to  suspend  him  from  duty  ;  but  he  occupied  his  place 
at  our  table,  was  permitted  to  go  on  shore  when  he 
plea'Jcd,  and  was  treated  witii  proper  civility.  From 
some  intimations  which  he  occasionally  threw  out  to 
the  men,  that  he  had  forborni^  to  cause  the  vessel  to  be 
seized,  and  that  he  had  been  olTered  a  thousand  dollar* 
for  his  journal,  it  inunediately  occurred  to  us  that  he  had 


vol..    I . 


IS 


206 


SECo.vn  VDYAHK.  —  i,r,[,r.\  nvnit. 


been  more  iiitimale  with  the  authorities  of  San  IJhis, 
than  was  consistent  with  our  safety  ;  and  if  so,  tliat  we 
ought  to  know  il,  to  guard  against  the  futiu'c.  As  it 
seemed  to  be  the  most  (Mrect  way  of  |)roving  his  guilt 
or  his  innocence,  and  a  measiue  that  was  justifiable,  on 
the  principle  of  self-preservation,  we  had  no  hesitation 
in  seizing  his  pa|)ers.  'I'hesc  we  fonid  to  consist  of  a 
few  letters  and  his  sea  journal. 

On  examining  the  journal,  we  perceived  it  had  been 
mutilated,  and  dales  only  previous  to  our  arrival  at 
Valparaiso,  and  subsequent  lo  our  leaving  there  remain- 
ed. Hence  there  was  strong  presimipiive  evidence, 
that  the  intermediate  portion,  relating  to  our  transac- 
tions at  A'alparaiso,  was  in  possession  of  the  govern- 
ment of  San  Bias.  Amongst  the  letters  tiiere  was  only 
one  that  related  to  us.  This  was  a  letter  of  introduc- 
liou  from  the  Conunandant  to  a  friend  at  Macao,  in 
which  he  speaks  of  our  ingratitude  to  him,  and  of  his 
having  so  committed  himself  in  his  endeavour  lo  be 
serviceable  to  us,  that  he  was  unable  to  act  as  duly 
reepiired,  from  the  fear  of  consequences,  &c.  He  also 
recommends  his  friend  to  give  more  credence  to  any 
representation  which  tlie  bearer  might  make  to  him, 
than  to  those  of  the  captain. 

This  investigation  satisfied  us,  that  we  had  esca[)ed 
seizure  by  the  mere  accident  of  the  mate's  not  making 
his  communication  to  the  Connnandant  until  this  officer 
had  become  so  much  a  party  in  the  transaction,  as  to 
make  his  own  safety  depend  on  its  concealment.  Our 
suspicions  of  his  hostile  intentions,  therefcne,  may  have 
been  erroneous,  and  our  hurried  departure  unneces- 
sary ;  but  if  we  erred,  it  will  be  acknowledged  to  have 
been  on  the  side  of  prudence. 


.NOTICE   OF   SAN    III, AS. 


207 


I 


C  11  A  V  T  !•:  K    X  n' . 

Notice  of  Sun  IJliis.  —  Doiiifstio  Iiidiniis,  —  Cir(-iil,itinn  of  I{cvolu- 
lioii.iry  rnpcrs.— Sail  from  the  Tliioe  Maria  IslandH.  —  St.  Clem- 
ent's.—  Indians.  — Arrivt;  at  San  Diego.  —  Conunandant  Kodri- 
gnez  visits  the  Sliij).  —  I.cavi  s  a  (inard  on  Hoard  — A  Visit  to 
tiie  I'nrt.  —  Ship  Aie.xaiidcr.  —  Fail  in  |>nrcl)asincr  the  Skins. — 
Detention  of  onr  Men.  —  Rescue.  —  Disarm  tlie  (juard  on  Uoard. 
—  I'repare  for  War.  —  (iel  under  Sail  to  go  out.  —  Tire  of  the 
Fort.  —  Uetiinied.  —  I'.iss  hy  the  Fori.  —  I'nt  the  Guards  on 
Shore.  —  Arrive  at  St.  (iuintin's.  —  Visit  of  ."Missionaries.  — Corpo- 
ral's r.etter.  —  Pndres' ()|)inion  of  Hodrirruc-z.  —  Leave  St.  Qnin- 
tin's  —  Notice  of  it.  —  (iuadaloupe.  —  San  JJorja, — I'adre  Maria- 
no Apolonario. —  His  Character. —  Troeure  Horses.  —  Our  Fare- 
well. —  .\rrive  at  St.  Joseph's.  —  Obtain  Sujiplies.  —  Sail  for 
the  Sandwich  Islands. 


Our  opportunity  for  becoming  acquainted  witii  San 
Bla.s  and  its  cnviron.s,  had  been  even  greater  than  we 
desired  ;  and  a  short  notice  of  it  may  be  proper  in  this 
place.  San  Bias  is  a  port  and  royal  arsenal,  in  the 
province  of  New  Gallicia,  in  the  Viccroyalty  of  Mexi- 
co, in  latitude  21°  3G'  north.  The  port,  formed  by  a 
branch  of  the  river  Santiago,  and  an  island  to  the  south- 
westward,  is  of  small  capacity,  very  narrow,  and  per- 
fectly secure.  A  bar,  at  its  entrance,  on  which  there 
is  not  usually  more  than  fourteen  feet  of  water,  makes 
it  necessary,  before  attempting  to  enter,  to  lighten  the 
vessel,  in  the  road,  to  ten  or  eleven  feet,  or,  in  propor- 
tion as  the  swell  may  be  on  the  bar,  at  the  time  of  go- 
ing over  it.      It  is  defended   hy  two  batteries  ;  the  one, 


208 


si;c(j.Nu  voYAun  —  i-i;i.t  V  iiviut. 


of  eight  gims,  oil  uii  ciiiiiK  iico  of  tlic  islaiul  ;  the  other 
oil  llio  hcach  ahreiist  the  town,  licsiclcs  several  uitiii- 
boats.  The  road  i.s  perfectly  safe  fi)r  ships,  while;  the 
northucst  wiiuls  are  prevalent,  which  is  from  .Novem- 
ber to  April.  During  the  other  months  of  the  year, 
when  the  southeast  winds  prevail,  which  sometimes 
blow  with  great  force,  it  is  not  safe  lying  there.  At 
this  season,  also,  the  ihunder-sepialls  are  frequent,  and 
are  the  most  awfully  suhlime  that  can  he  imagined.  On 
one  night,  in  particular,  for  the  space  of  thiee  hours, 
tliere  was  scarce  a  inoment's  intermission  between  the 
claps  of  thunder  ;  the  roar  of  which,  by  drowning  the 
voices,  made  it  re(juisite  to  subslitiile  signs  for  perform- 
ing the  duty  of  giving  the  slii|)  more  cahle.  The  light- 
ning was  incessant  and  vivid,  running  in  currents  down 
the  rigging  and  fore  and  aft  the  ship,  and  apparently 
would  have  enveloped  her  in  flames,  but  for  the  toricnts 
of  water,  which  were  at  the  same  time  falling.  The 
scene  was,  by  far,  a  more  awful  one  of  the  kind,  than 
I  ever  witnessed  before  or  since  ;  and  we  considered 
ourselves  very  fortunate  In  escaping  all  other  mischief 
than  that  of  dragging  our  anchor  a  mile  or  two. 

Tiie  town  is  situateu  on  a  hill,  commanding  a  fine 
view  of  the  bay,  from  which  it  makes  a  pretty  appear- 
ance. This  impression,  however,  is  not  connrmed  on 
entering  it,  the  houses  being  generally  very  ordinary 
structures,  and  the  streets  very  dirty.  There  are  about 
CiVG  thousand  inhabitants,  including  the  seven  hundred 
usually  attached  to  the  arsenal.  The  annual  expense 
of  the  arsenal,  at  this  time,  was  about  half  a  million 
of  dollars.  The  commerce  of  J>an  Jilas  is,  indeed, 
trifling,  there  being  only  three  small  merchant  vessels 
owned    here.     The    most   valuable  production    of  the 


f 


I 


i 


DOMESTIC    IMJIA.VS. 


209 


J 


the 


ncit;lil)oiirinE;  country  is  the  red  codiir,  wliicli  is  of  largo 
size,  iiiid  very  ahiiiulaiil.  Tliis  is  used  for  tiie  Imild- 
ing  of  sliips,  for  the  masts  and  spars,  for  boats,  oars, 
lioMses,  and,  indeed,  for  every  tiling.  From  the  month 
of  June  until  iSeptemhcr,  the  climate  of  San  IJIus  is 
considered,  to  be  so  nnlicallhy,  that  all,  who  have  the 
ability  to  remove,  go  to  Ti[)cc,  which  is  situated  in  the 
highlands,  about  sixty  miles  distant. 

The  don)estic  Indians,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  San 
Bias  and  Tipec,  are  beginning  to  manifest  signs  of  dis- 
content and  insubordination,  which  are  alarming  to  the 
Spanish  anlhorilies.  An  insurrection  was  quelled,  last 
year,  which  came  near  to  annihilating  the  Spanish  su- 
premacy in  this  quarter.  An  alarm  was  given  while 
we  were  here.  All  was  bustle  and  activity;  and  all  the 
able  men,  with  fn-ld  pieces,  &c.,  were  ordered  to  Ti- 
])ec,  near  which  the  attack  was  expected.  It  is  un- 
derstood, that  the  Indians  are  instigated  by  Creole 
Spaniards,  who,  incapable  of  longer  supporting  their 
oppression,  are  ready  to  make  use  of  such  auxiliaries 
to  effect  their  emancipation.  A  spirit  of  discontent 
and  alienation  towards  the  government  seems  to  per- 
vade the  whole  Viceroyalty  of  Mexico.  This  was  con- 
firmed by  our  letters  from  Houissillon,  while  at  iNIexi- 
co,  who  mentions,  that  iiiflammatoiy  and  revolutionary 
addresses  to  the  people  are  currently  circulated  in  the 
city,  one  of  which  was  handed  to  hiin  while  at  the  the- 
atre. It  was  written  in  the  French  language.  Its  pur- 
port was  to  make  known  to  the  citizens  their  rights  ;  to 
show  them  how  they  were  violated  and  trampled  upon  ; 
and  to  suggest,  that  the  remedy  was  in  their  own  hands. 
With  a  view  of  giving  such  aid  as  we  supposed  might 
be  useful,  we  sent  them  copies  of  our  Declaration 
IS* 


210 


SECOND    VOYAGK.  — LELIA   BYUD. 


of  Independence,  and  of  the  Constitution  of  tlie  United 
States. 

Having  succeeded  in  the  comj)lction  of  our  object  at 
the  Three  Maria  Islands,  we  left  on  the  14th  of  Feb- 
ruary, bound  to  San  Diego,  in  California,  where  we  had 
information  of  there  being  a  parcel  of  sea  otters'  skins, 
which  might  be  obtained  advantageously.  It  being  the 
season  of  the  prevalence  of  strong  northerly  winds,  our 
passage  was  long  and  tedious.  On  the  morning  of  the 
16th  of  March,  we  were  becalmed  near  St.  Clement's 
Island,  where,  perceiving  a  smoke,  we  landed  abreast 
of  it,  and  foimd  that  it  proceeded  from  a  cave  formed, 
in  the  side  of  a  hill,  by  some  overhanging  rocks  and 
earth,  but  insufficient  to  ailbrd  shelter  from  the  weather, 
with  any  other  than  northerly  winds.  In  this  miserable 
domicil,  resided  eleven  persons,  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren ;  and  though  the  temperature  was  such  as  to  make 
our  woollen  garments  requisite,  they  were  all  in  a  state 
of  perfect  nudity.  Their  food  was  exclusively  fish, 
and  having  no  cooking  utensils,  their  oidy  resource  was 
baking  them  in  the  earth.  We  could  not  pt?rceive, 
that  they  possessed  a  word  of  any  other  dialect  than 
their  own,  of  which  we  understood  nothing.  I  had 
been  familiar  with  the  Indians  inhabiting  various  parts 
of  the  western  coast  of  America,  but  never  saw  any  so 
miserable,  so  abject,  so  spiritless,  so  nearly  allied  to 
the  brute. 

Leaving  this  wretched  family,  after  distributing  among 
them  a  few  articles  of  old  clothing,  we  stood  to  the 
eastward,  undjr  easy  sail,  all  night,  and  found  ourselves, 
early  in  the  morning,  abreast  of  the  port  of  San  Diego. 
A  brisk  northerly  wind  prevented  our  gaining  the  an- 
chorage till   the  afternoon,  when,  having    passed    near 


I 


COMMANDANT  ROURIGUEZ  VISITS  Till:  Sllll'. 


211 


1 1 


the  battery  without  being  hailed,  we  came  to  anchor 
about  a  mile  within  it.  The  next  day,  the  Comman- 
dant, Don  Manuel  Rodriguez,  with  an  escort  of  twelve 
dragoons,  came  down  abreast  of  the  ship,  and  re(|uested 
that  the  boat  might  be  sent  for  him.  This  being  done 
immediately,  he  crowded  the  boat  with  liis  escort,  and 
probably  regretted  the  necessity  of  leaving  on  shore  liis 
horses.  We  had  been  told  at  kSan  Bias,  that  Don 
Manuel  was  an  exceedingly  vain  and  pompous  man  ; 
and,  indeed,  we  found  him  ?o  ;  for  such  a  ridiculous 
display  of  a  "  little  brief  authority,"  and  pompous  pa- 
rade, I  never  before  witnessed.  His  dress  and  every 
movement  evinced  the  most  arrant  coxcomb.  Having 
saluted  us  on  coming  over  the  .shi))',s  side,  he  waited, 
before  proceeding  aft,  until  his  escort  were  drawn  up  in 
two  lines,  with  hats  oil"  in  one  hand,  and  drawn  swords 
in  the  other,  and  then  [)assed  between  them  to  the  com- 
panion way.  After  the  ordinary  in(|uiries,  of  whence 
we  came,  whither  bound,  and  the  object  of  our  visit, 
lie  called  to  the  ofllcer  of  the  escort,  and  desired  him 
to  take  a  minute  of  the  articles  we  required.  With 
these  he  said  that  he  would  supply  us  the  next  day  ;  on 
receiving  which,  he  should  expect  we  would  not  delay 
a  moment  in  leaving  the  port.  He  counted  our  men, 
and,  perceiving  us  to  be  only  fifteen,  all  told,  expressed 
astonishment  at  the  presumption  of  undertaking  so  long 
and  dangerous  a  navigation  with  so  (ew  men.  He  for- 
bade our  going  to  the  town,  which  is  distant  about  three 
miles,  but  gave  us  leave  to  go  on  shore  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  vessel.  He  took  leave  with  cliarac- 
teristic  pomj',  leaving  on  board  five  of  his  escoit,  as  he 
said,  to  see  that  we  carried  on  no  contraband  trade. 
In  the  afternoon,  we  made  an  excursion  on  shore  ; 


212 


SECOND  VOYAGE.  — LELIA  IiVRD. 


and,  having  rambled  towards  the  battery,  wliich  com- 
mands the  entry  of  the  port,  without  meeting  with  any 
person  to  prevent  our  entering  it,  we  availed  ourselves 
of  the  opportunity  to  ascertain  its  strength  and  state. 
We  found  eight  brass  nine-pounders,  mounted  on  car- 
riages, wliicli  appeared  to  he  in  good  order,  and  a  plenti- 
ful supply  of  ball  ;  but  there  was  no  appearance  of  their 
having  been  used  for  a  long  time.  As  the  examinatis^n 
of  a  battery  belonging  to  a  peoj)le  the  most  jealous  and 
suspicious  on  earth,  was  a  delicate  business,  we  did  not 
remain  long  within  its  precincts,  and,  having  had  an 
agreeable  excursion,  returned  on  board  at  sunset.  In 
the  evening  wc  made  acquaintance  with  ouv  guard,  the 
sergeant  of  which  appeared  to  be  an  intelligent  young 
man.  He  informed  us,  that,  only  a  few  days  past,  the 
ship  Alexander,  of  Boston,  Captain  Brown,  had  been 
there  ;  that  he  had  succeeded  in  piuchasing  from  the 
soldiers  and  people  several  hundred  skins  ;  that  infor- 
mation of  it  had  been  given  to  the  Commandant,  who, 
without  first  demanding  their  surrender,  boarded  the 
ship  with  an  armed  force,  made  a  search,  and  took 
away  all  the  skins  they  could  find,  together  with  some 
merchandise.  'JMieso  skins,  he  said,  were  now  in  pos- 
session of  the  Comn)andant,  which,  with  what  he  had 
of  his  own,  probably  exceeded  a  thousand.  'I'hese,  we 
made  every  cfibrt  to  obtain  from  him  ;  and,  though 
there  is  no  doubt,  that  he  woidd  have  been  a«  well 
pleased  to  sell,  as  wc  shoidd  have  been  to  purcliase 
them,  if  the  transaction  had  been  practicable  wiihout 
being  knovn  to  the  peoj)le,  yet,  as  this  was  out  of  the 
question,  and  they  were  all  spies  on  each  olhcr,  he 
dared  not  indulge  his  desire  of  selling  ihem  to  liS  dad 
Brown  negotiated  with  the  Commandant  iirst,  it  i-   -nost 


DETENTION    OF   OL'll   MEN. 


213 


probable  ho  would  have  obtained  the  whole  quantity, 
and,  al  the  same  time,  have  avoided  the  humiliating 
jjredicament  of  having  his  ship  taken  possession  of  by 
the  rabble. 

It  was  evident  now,  that  the  object  for  which  we 
came  hero  was  unattainable.  Having,  on  the  21st  of 
March,  received  the  supplies  we  had  asked,  the  Com- 
mandant again  visited  us,  in  the  same  pompons  style,  to 
receive  his  pay.  On  leaving  us  he  made  known  his  ex- 
pectation, that  we  would  leave  the  port  next  morning, 
wished  us  a  j)loasant  voyage,  and  we  parted  on  the  most 
friendly  terms.  We  had  been  offered  a  number  of 
skins,  in  small  parcels,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  to  be 
delivered  to  us  after  dark,  and  determined  to  purchase 
as  many  as  we  could  that  night.  Accordingly,  between 
eight  and  nine  o'clock,  (the  time  agreed  on,)  both  boats 
were  despatched  to  diderent  parts  of  the  harbour,  one 
of  which  returned  in  })roper  time  with  several  skins  ; 
!iu:  the  other,  in  which  was  the  mate  and  two  men,  did 
ni.v,  return  that  night.  That  some  disaster  had  occur- 
Mjci  'o  prevent  her  return,  was  presumable,  but  to  at- 
0'  'pi  ascertaining  the  cause,  in  the  night,  would  have 
been  mcurring  loo  great  a  risk.  We  watched  the  ap- 
proach of  morning,  with  a  \  iew  to  seize  and  act  upon 
any  couiMi'^ency  tliut  circumstances  might  present,  be- 
fore the  moving  of  the  people. 

'JMie  first  discovery  after  dawn,  was  that  of  our  boat, 
lying  on  the  beach,  abreast  of  oiu'  vessel,  with,  appar- 
ently, no  person  in  her.  On  seeing  this,  1  went  imme- 
iiiuoly  to  the  boat,  and,  when  there,  perceived  a  group 


of  men  at  a  shor 


t  dist; 


uu'O,  among  whom  ours  were 


dis- 


cernible.    Jk'iug   without  arms,  an  attempt   to   rescue 
them  would  have  been  imprudent.     I  therefore  returned 


I 


214 


SECOND   VOYAGE.— LELIA  BYRD. 


on  board,  taking  with  mo  the  other  boat.  It  was  now 
very  evident,  that  not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost  in  decid- 
ing on  the  course  to  be  pursued.  The  choice  present- 
ed us,  was  that  of  submission,  indignant  treatment,  and 
pluncV'r  ;  or  resistance  and  hazarding  the  consequences. 
Ther  ot  the  least  hesitation  with  Mr.  Shaler  or 

myself,  i  i  opting  the  latter  alternative.  As  a  prelim- 
inary step,  the  guard  on  board  were  disarmed,  and  made 
to  go  below  ;  then  I  went  with  four  men,  each  with  a 
brace  of  loaded  pistols,  to  the  rescue  of  those  on  shore. 
On  landing,  we  ran  up  to  the  guard  and,  presenting  our 
pistols,  ordered  them  instantly  to  release  our  men  from 
their  ligatures  ;  for  they  had  been  tied  hand  and  foot, 
and  had  been  lying  on  the  ground  all  night.  This  or- 
der was  readily  complied  with  by  the  three  soldiers, 
who  had  been  guarding  them  ;  and,  to  prevent  mischief, 
we  took  away  their  arms,  dipped  them  in  the  water,  and 
left  them  on  the  beach.  The  mate  reported,  that  they 
were  arrested  immediately  on  landing,  by  a  party  of 
horse,  with  the  Commandant  in  person,  at  their  head  ; 
whence  we  concluded,  that  he  had  sent  the  soldier, 
with  whom  we  made  the  agreement  for  the  skins,  ex- 
pressly to  decoy  us,  that  he  might  have  an  apology  to 
plunder  us. 

Arriving  safely  on  board,  we  perceived  our  men  to 
be  so  indignant  at  the  treatment  of  their  shipmates,  as 
to  be  ready  for  the  fight,  even  had  the  odds  been  great- 
er against  us.  We  had,  however,  a  disagreeable  and 
very  hazardous  task  to  perform  ;  a  failure  in  which, 
would  be  attended  with  ruin  to  us,  besides  subjecting 
us  to  the  humiliating  treatment  of  an  incensed  petty  ty- 
rant. Ouv  position,  at  anciior,  was  about  a  mile  within 
the   fort,   of  which  mention  has   been   made.     It  was 


PASS  BY  TIIF,  FORT. 


215 


necessary  to  pass  within  nnisket-shot  of  this  fort. 
With  a  strong  wind,  the  quick  passage  of  llie  vessel 
wouki  render  the  danger  trifling  ;  but,  unfortunately,  we 
had  now  hut  the  last  ex])iring  breath  of  the  land  breeze, 
sufficient  only  to  give  the  ship  steerage  way,'  and  an 
hour  would  elapse  before  we  could  presume  on  passing 
the  fort  ;  but  no  other  alternative  was  left  us,  that  did 
not  present  a  more  dreaded  aspect. 

While  making  our  preparations,  we  perceived,  that 
all  W'as  bustle  and  animation  on  shore  ;  both  horse  and 
foot  were  flocking  to  the  fort.  Our  six  three-pounders, 
which  were  all  brought  on  the  side  of  the  ship  bearing 
on  the  fort,  and  our  fifteeu  men  was  all  our  force,  with 
which  to  resist  a  battery  of  six  nine-pounders  and,  at 
least,  an  hundred  men.  As  soon  as  our  sails  were 
loosed  and  we  began  to  heave  up  the  anchor,  a  gun 
without  shot  was  discharged  from  the  battery  and  the 
Spanish  flag  hoisted  ;  perceiving  no  elTect  fr6m  this, 
they  fired  a  shot  ahead.  By  this  time  our  anchor 
was  u]),  all  sail  was  set,  and  we  were  gradually  ap- 
proaching the  fort.  In  the  hope  of  preventing  their 
firing,  we  caused  the  guard  in  their  uniforms  to  stand 
along  in  the  most  exposed  and  conspicuous  station  ;  but 
it  had  no  effect,  not  even  when  so  near  the  fort,  that 
they  must  have  been  heard  imploring  them  to  desist 
firing,  and  seen  to  fall  with  their  faces  to  the  deck,  at 
every  renewed  discharge  of  the  cannon.  We  had  been 
subjected  to  a  cannonade  of  three  cpiarters  of  an  hour, 
without  retm-ning  a  shot,  and,  fortunately,  with  injury 
only  to  our  rigging  and  sails.  When  arrived  abreast 
the  fort,  several  shot  struck  our  hull,  one  between  wind 
and  water,  which  was  temporarily  stopped  by  a  wad  of 
oakunu     We  now  opened    our  fire,   and,  at   the  first 


21G 


SECOND  VOYAGE.  — LELIA   BYRI). 


broadside,  saw  numbers,  probably  of  those  \vho  came 
to  sec  the  fun,  scampering  away  up  the  hill  at  the  back 
of  the  fort.  Our  second  broadside  seemed  to  have 
caused  the  complete  abandonment  of  their  guns,  as 
none  were  fired  afterwards  ;  nor  could  we  see  any  per- 
son in  the  fort,  excepting  a  soldier  who  stood  upon 
the  ramparts,  waving  his  hat,  as  if  to  desire  us  to  desist 
ring. 
II 


fi 


avm 


g  pa 


ssed  out  of  the  reach  of  their  cannon,  the 


poor  guards,  who  had  been  left  on  board,  saw  them- 
selves completely  in  our  power,  without  the  chance  of 
rescue,  and  probably  calculated  on  such  treatment  as 
they  knew  would  have  been  our  lot,  if  etpially  in  the 
power  of  their  Commandant.  Their  exhibition  of  fear 
was  really  ludicrous,  for,  while  we  were  tying  up  their 
fire-arms,  so  as  to  prevent  their  using  them,  and  getting 
the  boat  ready  to  send  ihcin  harmlessly  on  shore,  they 
were  all' the  time  tremblingly  imj)loring  for  mercy  ;  nor 
could  they  be  made  to  believe,  until  ihcy  were  actually 
on  shore,  that  we  intended  to  do  them  no  harm.  When 
landed  and  their  arn)s  handed  to  them,  they  cnd)raced 
each  other,  crossed  themselves,  and  fell  on  their  knees 
in  prayer.  As  our  boat  was  leaving  them,  they  rose 
up  and  cried  at  the  utmost  stretch  of  their  voices, 
"  Vivan,  vivan  los  .Qmcricauos.''^ 

Having  plugged  up  the  hole  made  by  the  shot,  near 
the  water,  we  steered  southward  for  the  bay  of  St. 
Quintin's,  and  arrived  there  on  the  2-lth  instant.  Here 
we  fell  in  with  Captain  Brown,  in  the  ship  vMcxander, 
who  gave  us  a  detail  of  the  rougli  manner  in  which  he 
bad  been  treated  by  the  Commandant  of  San  Diego, 
which  confirmed  us  in  the  propriety  of  the  measures 
we  had  pursued  to  avoid  a  similar  treatment.     Captain 


bea 

sel\ 

rer 

atec 

dis 

we 

duril 


VISIT  OF  THE  PADRES. 


217 


:^ 


Brown  left  us  on  the  5tli  of  April,  bound  to  the  North- 
west Coast.  This  was  the  only  American  ship  we 
had  seen  since  leaving  Valparaiso,  and  the  meeting  was 
very  agreeable  to  both  parties  ;  indeed,  a  countryman 
abroad  is  hailed  like  an  old  acquaintance,  and  there  is 
always  a  consciousness  of  belonging  to  the  same  home, 
which  makes  such  meeting  pleasant  in  any  part  of  the 
world,  and  is  particularly  felt  when,  as  in  this  instance, 
we  had  escaped  similar  dangers,  and  were  anjong  a  peo- 
ple remarkable  for  treachery  and  hostility  lo  strangers. 
We  therefore  viewed  his  departure  with  feelings  some- 
what allied  to  that  of  taking  leave  of  an  old  friend. 

A  few  days  after  arriving  here,  we  were  visited  by 
the  Padres  of  the  missions  of  San  Vincente,  San  Do- 
mingo, San  Rosario,  and  San  Fernando,  who  came  on 
horses,  with  a  retinue  of  Indian  domestics,  making 
quite  a  formidable  train.  The  Con>mandante  of  San 
Vincente,  a  mission  about  sixty  miles  north  of  this  port, 
accompanied  the  Padre  of  that  mission,  and  they  form- 
ed together  a  jolly  set  of  fellows.  Their  object  seemed 
to  be  principally  recreation,  though  they  brought  a  few 
sea  otters'  skins,  which  they  bartered  with  us  for  Euro- 
pean manufactures.  They  pitched  their  tents  on  the 
beach,  abreast  the  vessel,  and,  having  provided  them- 
selves with  an  abundant  supply  of  provisions  and  the 
requisite  cooking  utensils,  they  became  quite  domicili- 
ated. Never  was  there  an  equal  number  of  men  more 
disposed  to  j)romolo  harmony  and  good  fellowship,  and 
we  dined  together  alternately  on  shore  and  on  board, 
during  the  week  that  they  remained  with  us. 

As,  for  several  days  after  their  arrival,  they  did  not 
mention  the  affair  of  San  Diego,  we  sup})Osed  they 
might  not  have  heard  of  it  ;   yet,  as  St.  Vincente  was 

VOL.   I.  19 


21S 


SKCO.ND   VOYAGE. —LEUA  DVUD, 


SO  near,  it  would  be  strange  if  the  news  of  an  event  so 
novel  and  extraordinary  should  not  have  reached  them. 
After  the  acquaintance  had  been  pron»oled,  however, 
by  a  few  days  of  such  familiar  intercourse,  we  were 
asked,  by  the  eldest  of  the  Padres,  if  we  had  not  been 
to  San  Diego  ?  With  the  peculiarity  attributed  to 
New  Englanders,  our  answer  was  evasive,  and  the  ques- 
tion put,  "  Why  ?  "  He  then  told  us  of  an  American, 
who  had  been  there  since  Brown,  and  related  our  trans- 
actions there  so  precisely  as  they  occurred,  that  we 
acknowledged  ourselves  to  have  been  the  actors.  He 
said,  that  the  account  of  the  afl'air  was  transmitted  in  a 
letter  from  the  corporal,  who  commanded  in  the  bat- 
tery, to  his  senior  oflicer  at  Loretto,  and  that  the  let- 
ter was  left  unsealed,  that  it  might  be  read  at  the  sever- 
al missions  on  its  way,  and  to  be  sealed  at  the  last  mis- 
sion before  arriving  at  Loretto.  While  the  corporal, 
in  his  letter,  was  severe  in  his  strictures  on  the  conduct 
of  the  Commandant,  in  first  enticing  us  into  this  difli- 
culty,  and  then  taking  care  not  to  enter  the  fort  until  he 
ascertained,  that  we  were  out  of  reach  of  cannon  shot, 
he  was  profuse  in  his  eulogies  of  us.  Our  forbearance 
so  long  before  reluming  their  fire,  our  humanity  and 
generosity  to  the  guards,  under  such  provocation,  and 
our  ceasing  to  fire  when  they  did,  were  considered  by 
the  corporal  as  acts  of  magnanimity,  which  should  rec- 
ommend us  to  the  kindness  and  hospitality  of  all  good 
Spaniards. 

The  Padres  had  been  friendly  before  this  acknowl- 
edgment, but  they  seemed  afterwards  to  vie  with  each 
other,  who  should  show  us  the  greatest  kindness,  offer- 
ing to  procure  us  supplies  in  any  tpiantity,  and  assuring 
us  of  meeting  a  hospitable  reception  at  any  of  the  mis- 


PADRES. 


219 


sions  \vc  might  visit  in  Ciilifornia.  As  they  did  not 
suppose,  on  leaving  liome,  that  we  shouki  be  induced 
to  remain  long  in  a  desert  port,  they  had  provided 
themselves  with  provisions  for  a  ueek  only  ;  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which,  they  left  us,  with  a  promise  to  relin-n 
again  in  a  fortnight,  with  a  supply  of  such  stores  for 
ourselves,  as  we  had  given  them  a  list  of.  Having,  with 
ill-judged  economy,  coppered  our  vessel  only  to  light- 
water  mark,  we  perceived  that  the  worm  had  already 
made  dreadlul  ravages  in  our  wooden  sheathing,  and 
that  it  was  necessary  to  lay  her  ashore  to  cleanse  and 
hoot-top  the  bottom.  The  port  being  well  adapted  to 
such  purpose,  it  was  accom])lished  without  difliculty. 
In  the  performance  of  this  business,  of  repairing  the 
injury  sustained  in  our  sails  and  rigging  by  the  cannon 
shot,  in  the  recreation  of  fishing  and  fowling,  and  in 
taking  a  plan  of  the  port,  the  time  was  fdled  up  until 
the  fortnight  agreed  on  had  elapsed,  when  the  Padres, 
true  to  the  engagement,  again  made  their  appearance, 
with  the  stores  recpiired. 

Although  there  was  nothing  now  to  cause  us  another 
day's  detention,  yet  the  Padres  were  so  urgent  for  our 
remaining  another  week,  alleging  that  they  had  brought 
provision  with  that  expectation,  that  we  could  not  resist 
their  importunate  persuasions.  They  were  now  de- 
sirous of  being  ac(juainted  with  some  particulars  of  our 
affair  at  San  Diego,  which  could  be  obtained  oidy  from 
us,  such  as  to  be  showed  the  men  who  were  captured 
and  tied  on  shore  ;  those  who  rescued  them  ;  if  there 
was  any  attempt  at  resi'Jtance  ;  the  several  places  the 
shot  had  struck,  &c.  &c.  We  were  very  happy  to  be 
informed  by  them,  that  no  person  was  even  hurt  by  our 
shot.     These  good  Padres,  though  very  amiable,  were 


320 


SECO.NU   VOYAGE. —  LELIA   HVUD. 


very  ignorant  on  all  subjects,  excepting  that  of  their 
profession,  and  so  intolerant  and  bigoted,  as  frequently 
to  express  astonishment,  that  men  so  humane  and  inhd- 
ligent  siiould  be  blind  to  the  truth  and  beauty  of  Catholi- 
cism. In  remarking,  however,  on  the  apparent  amia- 
bility of  these  people,  1  ought  to  except  the  radio  of 
San  Vincente,  who,  it  uRist  be  acknowledged,  had  no 
just  pretensions  to  such  character,  after  boasting,  as  he 
did,  that  he  had  rendered  (Jod  service  by  killing  many 
of  the  Indians,  who  obstinately  refused  to  be  converted. 
They  expressed  great  disgust  with  the  character  and 
conduct  of  Don  Manuel  liodriguez,  called  him  a  pol- 
troon, and  said  he  would  be  broken  ;  not  so  much  for 
having  fired  on  a  ship  of  a  friendly  power,  as  for  under- 
taking what  he  was  unequal  to  accomplish,  thereby  ex- 
posing the  weakness  of  the  place,  and  subjecting  the 
royal  flag  to  insult.  It  is,  indeed,  doubtful  whether 
the  eclat  caused  in  Europe  by  the  battle  of  Copenha- 
gen, was  greater  than  that  of  the  battle  of  San  Diego, 
in  California. 

The  week  we  had  engaged  to  pass  with  the  Padres 
having  expired  on  the  od  of  May,  we  then,  with  recip- 
rocal friendly  salutations,  and  cordial  interchange  of 
good  wishes  for  prosperity  and  happiness,  bade  them 
farewell  and  put  to  sea,  bound  to  the  Island  of  Cua- 
daloupc,  in  the  hope  of  there  obtaining  a  supply  of 
water,  for  that  which  we  found  at  St.  Quintin's  was  of 
an  inferior  quality,  and  was  only  obtained  by  digging  a 
well.  The  want  of  this,  and  equally  of  wood,  lessens 
much  the  value  of  this  port.  It  is  remarkable,  con- 
sidering the  length  of  tiine  the  Spaniards  have  possessed 
this  coiuitry,  and  the  accuracy  and  ability  with  which 
their  navigators  generally  have  surveyed  their   posses- 


AltlUVi;    AT   IJUAUALOLTE. 


221 


sions  on  this  coast,  that  they  are  yet  ignorant  of  this 
excellent  harbour.  It  was  (iiscovered  about  the  year 
]800,  by  Captain  O'Kain,  of  lioston.  'Die  entrance 
to  it  is  so  narrow  and  obscure,  that  had  not  IJrown 
been  here  to  direct  us,  it  is  doubtful  if  we  had  found 
it  ;  yet  we  carried  in  not  less  than  tinee  fathoms,  and 
anciiored  in  four,  in  one  of  tiie  safest  harbours  in  the 
world.  It  is  also  very  capacious,  and  abounding  in  the 
sea  otter,  of  which,  though  very  sliy,  we  shot  several. 
The  shore,  at  short  distances  from  the  beach,  is  greatly 
infested  with  rattlesnakes. 

Arriving  at  the  Island  of  (Juadaloupe  on  the  4th,  the 
whole  of  the  next  day  was  passed  in  seeking  for  water 
on  the  lee  side  of  the  island,  presuming  from  its  height, 
that  there  was  no  doubt  of  success,  but  we  were  dis- 
appointed. There  were  various  gullies,  indicating 
abundance  at  certain  seasons,  which  were  now  perfectly 
dry.  Steering  again  to  the  eastward,  we  entered  a 
small  bay  on  that  part  of  the  coast,  which  is  nearest  the 
mission  of  San  Borgia,  and  came  to  anchor.  The 
next  diiv  wc  were  visited  bv  the  Father  of  that  mis- 
sion,  Mariano  xXpolonario,  who  had  been  expecting  us 
some  days,  and  had  kept  an  Indian  on  the  look-out  for 
us,  that  he  might  be  advised  immediately  on  our  arrival. 
Having  received  notice  of  our  approach  from  the  In- 
dian, the  day  before  our  arrival,  he  had  set  out,  though 
uncertain  if  we  had  anchored.  As  his  mission  was 
sixty  miles  from  the  seacoast,  and  he  was  accompanied 
by  twenty  domestics,  with  provisions  and  baggage  laden 
on  twenty-five  horses  and  mules,  he  would  have  been 
greatly  disa|)pointed  had  we  passed  without  anchoring, 
and  tlurefore  was  gratified  at  a  meeting,  which  he 
seemed  to  have  counted  much  upon. 
19* 


222 


SECOND   VOYAGE.  -  LELIA   UYRIJ. 


We  made  the  best  arrangement  in  our  power  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  I'ache  and  liis  domestic  ;  but, 
after  passing  one  night  on  board,  he  experienced  such 
inconvenience  from  the  motion  of  the  siiip,  as  to  make 
it  desirable  to  j)rovide  some  sheUcr  for  bin)  on  sliore. 
Accor(hngly,  in  tiie  morning  a  sail  v  as  taken  on  shore, 
with  wliich  our  men  made  a  large  and  conunodious  tent. 
Here  our  days  were  principally  passed  in  conversation 
with  the  Padre,  interrupted  only  by  occasional  rambles 
over  the  sand-hills,  for  exercise.  Amongst  the  domes- 
tics of  the  Padre  was  that  very  useful  and  important 
aj)pendage  of  a  missionary,  a  very  good  cook  ;  and,  as 
he  was  provided  with  plenty  of  venison  and  jjouliry, 
whereon  to  exercise  his  skill,  we  perceived  it  to  be 
as  nmch  for  our  advantage,  as  it  was  gratifying  to  the 
Padre,  that  we  should  dine  with  him  every  day.  On 
these  occasions  we  had  neither  plates  nor  dishes,  knives 
nor  forks  ;  nor  were  they  requisite,  as  the  food  was 
served  up  in  a  large  wooden  bowl,  into  which  each 
in  turn  dipped  his  spoon,  in  true  primitive  style.  A 
due  degree  of  exercise  in  a  fine  bracing  atniosj)here, 
however,  previous  to  taking  these  homely  repasts,  gave 
to  them  a  relish  which  is  not  often  experienced  at  the 
most  luxurious  and  elegant  tables. 

Perceiving  that  water  was  not  procurable  in  this 
vicinity,  having  but  a  short  supply  on  board,  and  uncer- 
tain where  it  was  to  be  obtained,  there  was  obviously 
a  necessity  of  cutting  short  our  visit  at  this  station.  As 
soon  as  the  Padre  was  made  acquainted  with  it,  he 
applied  a  remedy,  by  engaging  to  supply  us  with  our 
daily  consumj)tion  of  water,  although  he  had  to  send  six 
miles  for  it,  and  this  he  did  daily  until  our  departure, 


I'AUKE  MARIANO. 


223 


besides  providing  abundance  of  fresh  provisions  for  the 
ship's  company. 

Tlie  more  intimately  we  became  acfpialnied  with 
Padre  Mariano,  the  more  we  were  convinced  that  his 
was  a  character  to  love  and  respect.  He  appeared  to 
be  one  of  that  rare  class,  who,  for  piety  and  the  love 
of  their  fellow-men,  might  justly  rank  with  a  Fenelon 
or  a  Cheverus.  His  countenance  beaming  with  the 
love  and  benevolence,  which  were  his  prevailing  motives 
of  action,  inspired  immediate  and  perfect  confidence, 
even  with  those  who  had  seen  as  much  of  thu  »S|)anish 
character  as  it  had  been  our  lot  to  do.  His  mild  and 
humane  treatment  of  his  domestics  made  their  inter- 
course more  like  that  of  father  and  children,  than  of 
master  and  servants.  His  regular  observance,  morning, 
noon,  and  evening,  of  his  devotional  duties,  with  his 
uncouth  looking  domestics  assembled  round  him,  and 
on  bended  knee,  and  with  the  utmost  decorum,  partici- 
pating in  his  prayers  to  the  throne  of  grace,  was  aflect- 
ing,  and  might  be  rccciveil  as  a  tacit  reproach  for  indif- 
ference to  such  duties,  by  that  part  of  his  audience, 
whom  his  brethren  would  denominate  heretics.  But 
this  good  man  was  gifted  with  a  mind  too  liberal  and 
noble,  and  a  benevolence  too  extensive  and  pure,  to 
pronounce  condemnation  for  dilierence  of  opinions,  or 
to  believe  in  the  monopoly  of  truth  and  goodness  in  any 
one  sect  of  Christians. 

Our  visit  here  had  been  protracted  much  beyond  our 
intentions,  by  the  persuasions  of  the  Padre,  and  the  prom- 
ise of  two  horses,  which  we  had  unsuecessfully  endeav- 
oured to  procure  at  the  other  missions,  as  a  present  to 
the  King  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  These  arrived  at 
the  encampment  on   the   19th,  a  male  and   a  female, 


224 


SECOND   VOYAGE. —  LELIA  BYRD. 


and  were  presented  to  us  by  the  Padre.  In  return 
for  these,  and  a  flagon  of  wine  and  some  dried  fruits, 
we  gave  him  such  manufactures  as  lie  desired,  to  more 
than  their  vakie.  The  next  day  we  took  the  horses 
on  board,  and  made  preparation  for  our  departure. 
As  it  was  then  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  we  could 
not  consent  to  deprive  the  good  Padre  of  his  tent  for 
the  night,  we  remained  on  this  account. 

Early  on  the  following  morning,  we  went  on  shore 
and  spent  an  hour  with  the  Padre,  while  om*  men  were 
engaged  in  striking  the  tent,  and  taking  away  the  sail 
which  iiad  formed  it.  He  expressed  to  us  the  great  sat- 
isfaction he  had  experienced  in  our  society,  and  regretted 
we  could  not  pass  another  week  with  him,  adding  that 
our  visit  formed  an  epoch  in  his  life  ;  that  at  his  mission 
he  lived  like  a  hermit,  with  no  associates,  cxcej)!  the 
rude  Indian,  and  repeated  that  a  visit  like  ours  was 
"a  God-send."  On  taking  leavT;,  he  assured  us,  that 
we  should  always  be  remembered  in  his  prayers,  and 
accompau)  ing  us  to  the  boat,  repeated  and  vociferated 
his  a  Dios,  until  we  were  too  distant  to  hear  him  more. 
With  our  glass,  we  perceixcd  him  to  be  waiting,  after 
we  had  arrived  on  hoard  ;  and  he  did  not  move  off 
with  his  retinue  until  we  had  weighed  anchor. 

At  10  o'clock,  A.  INI.  we  ueighed  anchor  and  made 
all  sail  to  the  southward,  and  in  the  evening  perceived 
that  we  had  steered  too  near  the  coast,  being  embayed  to 
the  northward  of  the  Morro  Hermoso,  and  were  oblig- 
ed to  make  a  tack  out  of  our  course.  The  next  day 
we  passed  between  the  Island  Natividad  and  the  Morro 
Hermoso  ;  and  steering  to  the  southeast  with  a  fine 
northwest  wind,  were  up  with  and  near  Cape  St.  Lu- 
cas, in  the  evening  of  the  2rnh  Instant.     Early  the  fol- 


LEAVE   FUR  Tin:  SANmVICII  ISLANDS. 


225 


lowing  rnoiiiing,  we  came  to  aiiclior  in  the  bay  of  St. 
Josepli,  at  the  soutliern  extremity  of  the  peninsula,  and 
near  the  mission  of  that  name.  A  Lrantiful  clear  run 
of  water,  which  emptied  into  the  bay,  and  of  suflicient 
depth  to  admit  our  boat,  gav  -s  great  facility  in  filling 
up  onr  water-casks.  The  Padres  had  no  scruple  in 
supplying  us  with  such  provision,  vegetables,  and  fiuits, 
as  the  place  afforded,  and  were  equally  ready  to  trade 
with  us  to  the  extent  of  their  means,  which  were  rather 
limited.  In  addition  to  a  supply  of  stores,  we  pur- 
chased of  them  pearls  to  the  amount  of  two  thousand 
dollars,  and  also  a  mare  with  foal.  Having  with  much 
difFionlty  taken  the  latter  on  board,  on  the  2Slh  of  May, 
we  sailed  innnediately  for  the  Sandwich  Islands. 


SECOND   VOYAGE.— LELIA   BYRD. 


CHAPTER    XV. 


Observations  on  leaving  the  Coast.  —  California. —  Sandwich  Islands. 
—  Vis^it  of  the  King.  —  Land  the  Horses.  —  Present  them  to 
tiie  King. —  His  Estimation  of  tiieni. —  Visit  Derby's  Grave. — 
Leave  the  Islands.  —  Sketch  of  Tamaamaah, —  Attempt  at  liis 
Conversion.  — A  I'ractice  of  the  Natives.  —  An  Evidence  of  their 
Gallantry.  —  Instances  of  Atrocious  Conduct  of  Americans. — 
Island  of  Guam. —  A  Visit  from  tlie  Governor's  Lady.  —  Sketch 
of  the  Island. —  A  Storm.  —  Arrival  at  Canton.  —  Dispose  of  t)ne 
Half  the  Ship. — Mr.  Siialer  returns  to  California,  and  I  embark 
in  the  Alert  for  Boston. 


:-# 


The  1  ulief  and  ffeedom  from  care,  experienced  by 
being  'Mice  more  beyond  the  reach  of  a  power  whose 
most  dreaded  arms  are  deceit,  dissimtdation,  and  treach- 
ery, are  more  easily  imagined  than  described.  Fifteen 
months  had  elapsed  since  our  arrival  at  Valparaiso,  and 
it  will  be  seen,  that  in  each  of  the  three  ports  which  we 
had  entered,  a  state  of  hostility  had  existed  between  the 
government  and  ourselves,  which  was  probably  always 
the  more  rancorous  for  the  decided  part  the  people 
took  in  our  favor.  A  circumstance  which  we  knew  to 
be  owing  less  to  their  afiection  for  us,  than  to  their 
deadly  hatred  to  the  oflicers  of  government.  For  these 
were  natives  of  Old  Spain,  and  everywhere  on  this 
coast  had  disgusted  the  Creoles,  by  their  arrogant  and 
overbearing  manner  of  treating  them.  No  inconsider- 
able drawback,  however,  upon  our  enjoyment  of  this 
repose  was  the  reflection,  that  we  had  yet  on  board, 


COAST   OF   CALIFOUNtA. 


227 


nearly  one  half  of  our  European  cargo,  which  could  not 
be  disposed  of  at  Canton,  unless  there  should  chance  to 
be  a  vessel  fitting  out  from  thence  to  the  Spanibh  coast, 
of  which  there  was  not  nuich  probability.  From  the 
profit,  which  there  was  no  doubt  of  our  making  on  the 
sea  otters'  skins,  however,  there  was  scarcely  any 
chance  of  experiencing  a  loss  on  the  whole  adventure  ; 
and  we  derived  consolation  from  the  reflection,  that  no 
e/Torts  had  been  wanting,  on  our  part,  to  produce  a 
better  result. 

We  had  coasted  along  the  western  shore  of  Califor- 
nia, for  the  most  part  within  a  distance  of  three  leagues, 
and  often  much  nearer,  from  San  Diego  to  Caj)e  San 
Lucas  ;  and,  during  the  whole  course,  had  seen  nothing 
but  a  continued  range  of  barren  sand-hills,  with  occa- 
sional clumps  of  bushes  of  apparently  stiir  !  growth. 
This  barren  coast  has  nothing  to  recommnii!  it  as  the 
habitation  of  man  ;  no  harbour,  no  water,  no  soil  adnpt- 
cd  to  cultivation.  Plence,  there  arc  no  missionary  (  ,- 
tablishments  near  the  shore.  At  a  distance  of  about 
thirty  miles  in  the  interior,  the  country  is  said  to  pre- 
sent a  very  dillerent  aspect  ;  and  the  cheapness  of  cat- 
tle, the  abundance  of  horses  and  sheep,  togelhcr  with 
the  a|)parcntly  well-fed  condition  of  the  Padres,  woidil 
seem  to  justify  the  report,  indeed,  having  had  ample 
scope  to  choose,  the  Padres  would  not  have  evinced 
their  usual  sagacity,  if  they  had  failed  to  select  the  most 
fertile  portions  of  the  country  for  the  establishment  of 
their  missions. 

The  only  game  wo  saw  on  this  coast  was  deer,  which 
were  numerous,  but  always  so  shy,  as  not  to  admit 
our  coming  within  niuskol-shot  of  them.  AVhat  we 
were  unable  to  efl'ect  with  the  musket,  the  Indians  sue- 


228 


SECOND   VOVAGE.  -LELIA   HVIW. 


ceeded  in  doing  by  stratagem.  Covered  with  the  skin 
of  a  deer,  and  walking  on  all-fours,  they  would  gel  so 
near  to  the  drove,  l)efore  discovered,  as  usnally  to  kill 
or  maim  one  with  tlic  bow  and  arrow.  The  invention, 
which  is  caused  by  necessity,  is  exhibited  here,  in  their 
means  of  conveyance  on  the  water.  Having  no  wood, 
they  make  their  canoes,  or,  as  they  are  called,  blosas, 
of  flags,  sufliciently  buoyant  to  carry  one  person  ;  and 
on  this  the  Indian  will  not  only  come  oft'  to  ships  which 
are  distant,  but  ride  over  the  surf  which  is  breaking  on 
the  shore,  at  a  time  when  it  could  not  be  done  by  a 
whaleboat.  The  mission  of  St.  Josejih's  is  a  desirable 
place  to  procure  water  and  refreshments  ;  but  I  here  is 
no  other  place,  where  these  can  be  obtained,  between 
this   mission  and  the  Presidio  of  San  ])iego. 

Leaving  the  mission  of  San  .loseph's  on  the  2Sth 
of  May,  1803,  we  experienced  undeviating  fine  weather, 
fair  winds,  and  smooth  sea,  on  otn-  passage  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  and,  on  the  I'JtIi  of  June,  1803,  got  sight 
of  Owhyhee,  its  summit  towering  above  the  clouds. 
We  passed  Koliollo  Point  with  a  strong  breeze  ;  and, 
presuming  the  king  to  be  nt  Karakakooa  Bay,  we  pro- 
ceeded directly  thither  ;  and,  arriving  on  the  21st,  in 
the  morning,  we  lay  by,  and  fired  a  gun.  Not  a  canoe, 
however,  nor  a  person,  was  seen  moving.  The  silence 
and  inactivity  which  prevailed,  formed  a  perfect  con- 
trast to  all  my  former  experience  at  these  islands.  At 
length,  after  lying  by  more  than  an  hour,  two  persons 
were  discovered  swinnuing  ofi'  to  >.  On  arriving  on 
board,  one  of  them  spoke  sufticient  English  to  make  us 
understand,  that  there  existed  a  Taboo  ;  and,  moreover, 
that  the  king  and  principal  men  were  at  Mowoo.  They 
piloted  us  to  the  best  anchorage,  passing  over  the  coral 


-. 


THE   eAXUVVICIl    ISLANDS. 


229 


bank  ;  and  we  anchored  on  a  sandy  bottom,  in  sixteen 
fathoms. 

The  next  day,  John  Young,  wlio  had  seen  us  pass 
his  residence,  at  Tooayah  Bay,  made  us  a  visit,  pre- 
suming we  should  anclior  here.  He  told  us,  that  the 
Taljoo  was  a  periodical  one.  When  he  first  became 
an  inhabitant  of  the  island,  it  was  of  ten  days'  dura- 
tion ;  l)ut,  of  late  years,  had  been  reduced,  and  was  now 
limited  to  three.  We  intended  to  remain  bore  no 
longer  than  was  requisite  to  supply  ourselves  with  a 
few  refreshments,  which  Young  undertook  to  procure 
for  us.  We  improved  the  time,  therefore,  by  a  ram- 
ble on  shore.  Among  other  places,  we  visited  that 
Morai,  where,  in  defiance  of  the  prejudices  of  the  na- 
tives. Captain  Cook  caused  his  observatory  to  he  erect- 
ed ;  a  desecration,  which  was  the  origin  of  the  quarrel 
tint  terminated  his  existence.  There  are  yet  standing, 
near  the  Moral,  several  cocoa-nut  trees,  which  are  j)er- 
forated  with  the  balls  fired  from  his  cannon  on  that 
occasion. 

We  left  Karakakoa  Bay  on  the  23d,  and  the  next 
morning  anchored  in  Tooayah  Bay,  for  the  purpose  of 
landing  the  mare  with  foal,  for  which  Young  was  very 
nrgcnt  ;  professing  to  have  a  knowledge  of  the  treat- 
ment of  horses,  and  promising  to  take  all  possible  care 
of  the  animal.  In  the  expectation,  that  the  chance  of 
their  increase  would  be  better  secured,  by  placing  the 
horses  in  the  care  of  dilferent  persons,  we  acceded  to 
his  recpiest,  and  landed  the  mare  in  safety  near  his 
place.  This  was  the  first  horse  that  ever  trod  the  soil 
of  Owhyhee,  and  caused,  amongst  the  natives,  incessant 
exclamations  of  astonishment.  Leaving  this  bay  the 
same  evening,  we  steered  for  Mowce  ;  oil"  which  island 

VOL.   I.  20 


230 


SECOND   VOYAGE.  —  LELIA   BYRD. 


we  lay  becalmed  a  part  of  the  next  day.  When  llie 
breeze  sprang  up,  though  at  a  long  distance  from  the 
village  of  Lahina,  we  were  boarded  by  Isaac  Davis, 
the  European,  who,  with  John  Young,  was  captured 
many  years  since,  in  Captain  Rletcalf's  vessel.  Soon 
after,  a  double  canoe  was  seen  coming  towards  us  ; 
and,  on  arrival  alongside,  a  large,  athletic  man,  nearly 
naked,  jumped  on  board,  who  was  introduced,  by  Davis, 
as  Tamaahmaah,  the  great  King. 

Desirous  of  conciliating  the  good  opinion  of  a  per- 
son whose  power  was  so  great,  we  omitted  no  attention 
which  we  supposed  would  be  agreeable  to  him.  But, 
whether  he  had  left  some  duty  unperformed  on  shore, 
or  whether  he  had  met  with  something  to  disturb  his 
serenity  of  mind,  we  know  not  ;  certain  it  was,  that  he 
did  not  reciprocate  our  civilities.  He  appeared  to  be 
absent  ;  and,  after  walking  round  the  deck  of  the  ves- 
sel, and  taking  only  a  very  careless  look  of  the  horses, 
he  got  into  his  canoe,  and  went  on  shore,  Davis  re- 
mained on  board  all  night,  to  pilot  us  to  the  best  an- 
chorage, which  we  gained  early  the  following  morning, 
and,  soon  after,  had  our  decks  crowded  with  visiters 
to  see  the  horses.  The  people  showed  none  of  that 
indifTerence  on  seeing  them,  which  had  been  manifested 
by  the  King,  and  which  I  believe  to  have  been  aflec- 
tation,  but,  on  the  contrary,  expressed  such  wonder  and 
admiration,  as  were  very  natural  on  beholding,  for  the 
first  time,  this  noble  animal.  The  horses  were  landed 
safely,  and  in  perfect  health,  the  same  day,  and  gave 
evidence,  by  their  gambols,  of  their  satisfaction  at  being 
again  on  terra  firma.  They  were  then  presented  to 
the  King,  who  was  told,  that  one  had  been  also  left  at 


PRESENTATION    OF   THE    I10RSE3. 


231 


Owliyhee  for  liim.      He   expressed   liis  llianl<s,  but  did 
not  seem  to  comprehend  tlieir  value. 

While  the  crowd  were  apparently  wondering  what 
use  they  could  he  pnt  to,  a  sailor  from  onr  ship  jumped 
upon  the  hack  of  one  and  galloped  off  amid  the  shouts 
of  the  natives,  who,  with  alacrity,  opened  a  way  to  let 
him  pass.  There  existed  strong  apprehensions  in  the 
minds  of  all  for  the  safety  of  the  man  ;  but  when,  by 
going  back  and  forth,  they  perceived  the  docility  of  the 
animal,  his  subjection  and  his  fleetness,  they  seemed  to 
form  some  little  conception  of  his  utility.  The  King 
was  among  the  number,  who  witnessed  the  temerity  of 
the  sailor  ;  but,  with  all  the  sagacity  for  which  he  has 
been  justly  praised,  remarked,  that  he  could  not  per- 
ceive that  the  ability  to  transport  a  person  from  one 
place  to  another,  in  less  time  than  he  could  run,  would 
be  adequate  compensation  for  the  food  he  would  con- 
sume and  the  care  he  would  require.  As  a  dray  or  a 
dragoon's  horse,  there  was  no  prospect  of  his  being 
wanted,  and  hence  our  present  was  not  very  highly  ap- 
preciated. In  this  we  were  much  disappointed,  but 
hoped,  nevertheless,  that  the  King  would  be  influenced 
by  our  advice  to  have  them  well  taken  care  of ;  that 
they  would  increase,  and  eventually  that  their  value 
would  be  justly  estimated. 

Our  supplies  were  received  from  the  King  ;  for  all 
which  we  paid  the  full  price,  and  though  he  offered  us 
a  small  present  as  an  offset  for  the  horses,  we  declined 
its  acceptance.  IJeing  apprehensive  that  our  stock  of 
bread  would  not  last  till  we  reached  China,  we  hoped, 
as  a  substitute,  to  procure  a  good  supply  of  yams  ;  but 
in  this  expectation  we  were  disappointed,  as  they  were 
at  this  time  unusually  scarce,  and  therefore  we  deter- 


232 


SECOND   VOVAOE.  —  I.EIJA   IIYIIIJ. 


mined  to  touch  at  the  otlier  islands  for  this  purpose. 
Accordingly,  on  the  2d  of  July,  we  left  Mowee,  and 
the  next  morning  anchored  in  Whyteete  Bay,  island  of 
Woahoo. 

While  the  natives  were  engaged  in  collecting  our  sup- 
plies, I  made  a  long  excursion  on  sliore,  among  the 
beautiful  rural  scenery  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  bay. 
In  a  retired  spot,  clothed  with  verdure  and  surrounded 
with  cocoa-nut  trees,  my  guide  j)ointed  to  the  grave  of 
my  old  friend  and  former  shipmate,  Charles  Derby, 
who  died  here  last  year,  on  board  a  Boston  ship,  which 
he  commanded,  from  the  Northwest  Coast.  Charles 
and  I  had  sailed  many  a  thousand  leagues  together, 
and,  being  of  the  same  age,  the  probability  was  as  great 
when  we  parted,  that  he  would  visit  my  grave  as  1  his. 

Meeting  with  but  partial  success  in  j)rocuring  here  a 
supply  of  yams,  we  left  on  the  5th,  and  passed  the  fol- 
lowing day,  lying  off  and  on,  near  Atoui,  the  most 
western  island  of  the  group,  with  no  better  success  ; 
and  then  bore  away  and  made  all  sail  to  the  westward. 
Atoui,  at  this  time,  was  independent  of  the  government 
of  Tamaahmaah,  from  whom  we  were  bearers  of  a  mes- 
sage to  the  King,  purporting,  that  the  ambassador, 
which  had  been  sent  to  him,  together  with  one  of  equal 
rank,  must  be  sent  to  Woahoo,  within  the  space  of  one 
month,  acknowledging  him,  'I'amaahmaah,  as  his  sover- 
eign, on  penalty  of  a  visit  with  all  his  forces.  As  the 
King  did  not  come  on  board  and  we  did  not  land,  the 
message  was  given  to  one  of  the  European  residents, 
who  promised  to  convey  it,  but  said  it  would  be  disre- 
garded. 

The  Sandwich  Islands  and  their  distinguished  King 
have  long  been  so  familiar  to  the   Kuropean  and  Ameri- 


TAMAAIIMAAH. 


233 


can  reader,  as  to  require  little  to  be  said  about  them. 
At  the  time  of  our  acquaiiUanoc  with  Tamaahtnaah,  he 
was  a  perfect  savage,  but  evidently  destined  by  nature, 
both  physically  and  mentally,  to  be  a  chief.  His  mind 
was  of  a  superior  cast  ;  its  dictates  induced  the  politic 
measure  of  seizing  and  forcibly  keeping  Young  and  Da- 
vis, aware  of  the  advantages  that  would  result  from  it, 
and  foreseeing,  that  good  usage  and  habit  would  recon- 
cile them  to  their  fate  ;  which  calculations  the  result 
proved  to  have  been  correct.  As  our  intercourse  with 
these  Islands  increased,  the  danger  of  a  temporary  resi- 
dence on  shore  ceased.  Among  others,  who,  at  this 
early  period,  took  advantage  of  it,  was  a  Mr.  Howell, 
commonly  called  Padre  Howell,  who  soon  ingratiated 
himself  into  favor  with  the  King,  and,  being  struck 
with  his  superiority  of  intellect,  conceived  that  it  would 
not  be  diflicidt  to  induce  him  to  abandon  his  idolatrous 
worship  and  substitute  one  of  rationality.  Accordingly, 
he  lost  no  opportunity,  after  acquiring  a  sufficient  knowl- 
edge of  the  language,  to  convince  the  Chief  of  the  in- 
capacity for  good  or  evil  of  his  gods,  and  of  the  power, 
and  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  the  Su})reme  Maker  and 
Rider  of  the  Universe,  whom  he  worshipped.  The 
first,  that  of  the  impotency  of  the  idols,  was  without 
diflicidly  admitted  ;  but  the  second,  not  being  tangible, 
could  not  be  comprehended.  His  mind,  however,  ap- 
peared to  be  dwelling  on  the  subject,  with  increased  at- 
tention, after  each  conversation.  At  length,  one  day, 
while  walking  together,  the  King  unusually  thoughtful, 
and  Howell  auguring  favorably  from  it,  the  silence  was 
broken  by  the  King's  observing,  "  You  say  your  God 
is  powerful,  wise,  good,  and  that  he  will  shield  from 
harm,  those  who  truly  worship  and  adore  him  .''  "  This 
20* 


234 


SIX'O.ND    VOVAGK.— LKLIA    liVUI). 


being  asscnlctl  to,  ilieii  said  tlio  King,  "  Give  ine  proof, 
by 


ul  tl 


going  anil  tniowuig  yourscll  lioin  yonder  prccijjicc, 
and,  while  falling,  call  on  your  God  to  shield  yon,  and 
if  you  escape  unharmed,  1  will  then  embrace  the  uor- 


)f 


God. 


It 


\y  be  unnecessary  to  say, 
that  Howell  failed  to  give  the  desired  test,  and  that  the 
King  remained  unconverted. 

The  practice  of  mutilation  was  prevalent,  on  the  de- 
cease of  a  person  of  consequence.  At  this  time,  eve- 
ry one  was  deficient  in  the  two  most  prominent  upper 
front  teeth,  which  had  been  knocked  out,  in  conformity 
with  the  tyranny  of  custom,  and  to  have  failed  in  giving 
such  evidence  of  loyalty,  would  liave  been  impolitic 
and  unsafe.  Gallantry  is  held  in  no  less  estimation  here 
than  loyalty  ;  and  feats  are  related  to  have  been  jier- 
formed  to  convince  the  adored  object  of  devotedness 
and  attachment,  whicii  will  bear  comparison  with  those 
of  the  renowned  days  of  chivalry.  An  instance  oc- 
curred, a  few  days  before  our  arrival,  of  a  man  swim- 
ming from  the  village  of  Lakina,  in  Movvee,  to  the  Isl- 
and of  Uanai,  a  distance  of  not  less  than  ten  miles,  to 
convince  the  idolized  damsel  of  the  truth  and  extent  of 
his  passion.  The  eflect  was  unknown  at  the  period  of 
our  departure,  but  it  may  be  presumed  to  have  been 
irresistible. 

.  The  abuse  of  j)owcr,  in  the  most  un[)rincipled  and 
even  cruel  acts,  has  frequently  been  charged  to  our 
countrymen,  while  pursuing  their  avocations  in  these 
distant  regions,  and  I  am  sorry  to  say  not  without 
foundation.  To  such  conduct  may  reasonably  be  at- 
tributed the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  the  loss  of  many 
innocent  lives,  and  of  much  property.     Two  instances 

were,  at  this  time. 


i 


pOlBt 


gei 


ATROCIOfS   CONDUCT   Of   AiUAUCASH. 


235 


say, 
the 


llienic  of  conversation  among  llie  foreigners  at  ISrovvee. 
Tlie  fust,  that  of  a  Captain  B ,  in  a  schooner  be- 
longing to  I'hiladclphia,  who  seized  some  unsuspecting 
Chiefs  on  the  Northwest  Coast,  while  visiting  iiim,  and 
released  them  only  on  being  paid  a  ransom  in  skins,  by 

their  people.     The  second,  that  of  Captain  H ,  of 

Nantucket,  and  Master  of  the  schooner  Nancy  of  Bos- 
ton, engaged  in  the  seal-skin  business.  This  vessel, 
during  the  unfavorable  season  at  Masafuera,  went  to 
]"laster  Island,  where  the  natives  came  on  board  with  a 
confidence  inspired  by  the  good  treatment  they  had  usu- 
ally experienced  from  other  vessels,  which  had  visited 
them.  When  on  the  point  of  sailing,  he  decoyed  six 
of  them  below,  closed  the  hatches  over  them  and  went 
to  sea.  His  object  was  to  take  them  to  Masafuera  and 
employ  them  in  taking  and  skinning  seals,  and  after- 
wards, probably,  to  return  them  unharmed  to  their  na- 
tive island  and  friends.  It  is  presumable,  that  they 
were  as  well  treated  as  a  regard  to  their  security  would 
admit.  Be  this,  however,  as  it  may,  when  the  land 
was  no  longer  in  sight,  there  was  supposed  to  be  no 
danger  of  an  attempt  to  escape,  and  conse(|ucntly  they 
were  allowed  to  come  on  deck,  when,  without  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation,  they  all  simultaneously  threw  them- 
selves into  the  sea.  The  boat  was  lowered  down  and 
every  effort  made  to  save  them,  but  in  vain,  as,  being 
expert  svvinmiers,  they  used  their  greatest  exertions  to 
avoid  the  boat,  thus  evincing  a  preference  of  death  to 
slavery.* 

On  the  7th  of  July,  1S03,  having  ascertained  that  we 


*  This  was  reiatt'il  to  me  liy  a  person,  wlio  was  at  Masafuera  wiien 
the  scliooiior  Naiify  arrived  tliere  from  J^aster  Island. 


230 


SECOND   VOYAGB. —  LELIA   BYUD. 


could  obtain  no  supplies  without  losing  more  time  than 
they  were  worth,  we  made  sail  to  the  westward,  with  the 
intention  of  touching  at  the  Island  of  Cuam  ;  and  came 
in  sight  of  that  island  on  the  evening  of  the  29th.  Tiie 
next  morning  early,  we  doubled  round  the  north  end  of 
the  island,  and  came  in  sight  of  the  castle,  situated  on 
a  hill.  Soon  after,  on  opening  the  bay,  the  town  of 
St.  Tgnacio  de  Agam  was  presented  to  our  view, 
making  a  very  pretty  appearance  ;  the  white  houses 
contrasting  with  the  beautiful  foliage  of  the  trees,  by 
which  they  were  shaded,  and  the  distance  beyond  hav- 
ing the  appearance  of  a  dense  forest  of  the  niost  luxu- 
riant growth. 

Mr.  Shaler  went  on  shore  and  visited  the  Governor, 
who  treated  him  with  much  civility,  promised  to  have 
procured  for  him  immediately  the  supplies  required, 
and  invited  him  to  remain  to  dinner.  As  we  intended 
remaining  only  long  enough  for  collecting  these  sup- 
plies, or,  if  not  procurable  without  delay,  to  be  off 
without  them,  we  did  not  come  to  anchor,  but  lay  off 
and  on,  near  the  town.  In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Shaler 
returned  on  board,  accompanied  by  the  wife  of  the 
Governor,  her  female  attendants,  and  three  officers  of 
the  garrison.  These  guests  remained  with  us  until  the 
boats  came  off  with  our  supplies,  in  which  they  return- 
ed on  shore,  having  expressed  themselves  much  pleased 
with  their  visit,  and  promising  to  offer  up  petitions  to 
the  Virgin  for  our  safety  and  hapjiiness.  On  their 
leaving  us,  towards  evening,  we  steered  again  to  the 
westward  with  all  sail  spread. 

Guam  is  the  southernmost  of  the  Marian  Islands  ; 
it  is  but  of  moderate  height,  of  even  surface,  and  is 
covered  with  trees,  even  to  the  water's  edge.      There 


are 

habi 

Mai 

thir 

twe 


I 


TEMPESTUOUS  WEATHER. 


237 


than 
lj  the 
;ame 
Thf 


are  estitnatcd  to  be  between  five  and  six  tlioiisand  in- 
habitants, abont  nine  tenths  of  whom  are  natives  and 
Mahiys.  The  garrison  consists  of  one  hmuired  and 
thirty  soldiers,  and  the  annual  expense  to  i>pa\n  is 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  As  no  article  of  connnercc 
is  pro(hiced  hero,  but  the  Beche  de  Mar,  and  even  this 
only  in  small  quantities,  there  seems  to  exist  no  other 
inducement  for  the  maintenance  of  this  establishment, 
than  to  prevent  this  group  of  islands  being  taken  pos- 
session of  by  any  other  people. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  we  had  advanced  about  ten 
degrees  west  of  the  Marian  Islands,  when  we  had  un- 
doubted indications  of  approaching  bad  veather.  And 
as  at  this  season  of  the  year,  particularly,  it  is  atlvisable 
to  be  cautious,  our  top-gallant  yards  we.e  sent  down, 
and  our  topsails  double  reefed,  before  night,  the  wind 
strong  from  southwest  with  rain.  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  wind  and  sea  havine;  increased,  wo  reduced  our 
sails  to  a  close-reefed  nain-topsail  and  foresail,  and 
housed  the  top-gallant  n.asts.  The  wind  still  increas- 
ing, compelled  us  to  heave  to  under  storm  staysails. 
We  had  now  a  continual  succossion  of  the  most  violent 
squalls,  accompanied  with  torrents  of  rain  ;  these  shift- 
ed every  two  or  three  hours,  fiom  west-southwest  to 
north,  and  north-northwest,  blowiig  in  opposite  direc- 
tions with  equal  fury,  and  causing  lio  great  and  irregular 
a  sea,  as  to  threaten  sweeping  jvery  thing  from  our 
decks,  particularly  when,  between  the  shifting  of  the 
winds  there  were  a  few  momenta  of  calm  ;  and  when 
from  the  excessive  deep  and  quicic  rolling,  there  was 
great  cause  to  aj)prehend  the  loss  of  our  masts.  This 
weather  continued  for  twelve  hours,  and  was  followed 
by  gales  from  the  westward  and  from  th-?  southward. 


■ 

238 

SECOND   VOYAGE.  - 

-LELIA    BYUn. 

with 

scarcely 

any  intermission 

until  the  16th, 

when 

the 

weather 

became  sellled  from 

the  eastward. 

This 

was 

liarder  gale,  and  more  severe  weather  than  any  we 
experienced  off  Cape  Horn. 

In  the  evening  of  the  19th,  we  passed  the  Bashi  Isl- 
ands. On  the  23d,  we  came  in  sight  of  Piedra  Blanca  ; 
after  passing  whicli,  we  had  much  calm  weather,  which 
obliged  us  to  anchor  several  times,  and  thus  prevented 
us  from  gaining  the  anchorage  in  Macao  Roads  till  the 
2Gth.  A  pilot  was  procured  the  next  day,  when  we 
weighed  anchor  and  proceedeu  towards  the  river  ;  but, 
owing  to  adverse  winds  and  currents,  we  did  not  reach 
Wampoa  til.  the  29th.  The  next  d?y  we  went  to 
Canton,  and  were  hospitably  received,  and  lodged  at 
the  factory  of  Captain  Smith  of  the  Semiran)is,  of 
Newport,  while  a  factory  which  had  been  engaged  was 
preparing  for  us.  This  being  accomplished  on  the  1st 
of  September,  we  took  possession,  and  waited  the  re- 
sult of  various  permits  we  had  given  to  merchants,  for 
the  examination  of  the  cargo.  At  length  we  accepted 
the  proposition  which  appeared  to  be  n)ost  eligible. 
This  gave  us  a  very  handsome  jjrofit  on  the  skins, 
which  were  to  be  paid  for  in  teas  at  the  current  price  ; 
and  our  intention  was  to  lade  with  them  for  the  United 
States. 

V^liile  making  preparation  to  receive  the  teas,  an 
American  ship  arrived  from  the  Spanish  coast  with  the 
greater  part  of  her  outward  cargo  on  board.  Tiiis  it 
was  found  could  be  bought  for  less  than  first  cost,  m 
exchange  for  teas  ;  and  as,  also,  a  largo  amount  of  our 
European  investment  was  still  on  hand,  tlic.-fO  causes 
combined  to  point  to  the  propriety  of  making  another 
attempt  on   the  California  coast.     When    ^Ir.    Shaler 


vo 
ma  I 


the 

a 

w 

am 


IIONG   MERCHANT. 


239 


volunteered  to  undeitake  this  voyage,  there  were  so 
many  applications  to  be  interested,  that  we  decided  to 
lake  an  interest  of  only  one  half  the  vessel  and  cargo, 
and  consequently,  disposed  of  the  other  half  to  our 
American  friends. 

The  sheathing  of  the  ship  being  in  a  very  bad  state, 
there  existed  a  necessity  for  its  renewal,  and  this  was 
a  labor  of  no  trifling  magnitude  in  a  place  like  Wampoa, 
where  there  were  no  conveniences  for  the  purpose, 
and  where  probably  an  attempt  of  the  kind  was  never 
before  made.  But  we  found  our  countrymen  ready 
and  desirous  of  giving  us  all  the  aid  in  their  power. 
One,  whose  ship  was  waiting  cargo,  permitted  us  to 
heave  out  by  her,  another  Iciied  us  blocks  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  the  carpenters  attached  to  the  various  ships, 
who  could  be  spared  came  to  the  work  with  alacrity 
for  liberal  pay  ;  so  that  the  business  was  accomplished 
in  very  little  more  time  than  would  have  been  re>]uired 
for  the  j)urj)ose,  if  we  had  possessed  the  ordinary  con- 
veniences. There  is  often  experienced  abroad,  among 
our  fellow-citizens,  a  liberality,  a  generosity,  a  feeling 
of  brotherhood,  wliicL  jjrouipts  to  the  performance  of 
the  most  noble  and  disinterested  acts,  and  which  at 
home  are  known  only  to  family  alliances.  Of  this 
description  was  our  experience  at  this  time,  and 
the  recollection  of  it  has  aided  in  ameliorating  the 
asperity  caused  since,  by  an  oj)posing  experience  in  a 
re;  jated  abuse  of  confidence,  producing  the  most  dis- 
astrous efTects. 

Our  former  experience  of  the  high  estimation  of  the 
character  of  the  Ilong  merchant  to  whom  we  had  sold 
our  cargo,  induced  us  to  j)lace  a  reliance  on  his  assur- 
ance of  the  good  (juality  of  four  hundred  chests  of  teas 


240 


SECOND  VOYAGE,  —  LELIA  BYUD. 


received  from  him,  which  we  ought  not  to  liave  done. 
This  tea  was  to  be  received  in  part  payment  of  ihe 
cargo  destined  for  California  ;  but  the  person  who  was 
to  receive  it  was  less  disposed  than  we  had  been  to 
confide  in  Chinese  honor,  however  high  the  character 
of  the  individual  in  question  might  stand.  Accordingly, 
on  examination,  he  found  the  teas,  instead  of  very  good, 
to  be  of  very  ordinary  quality.  When  this  discovery 
was  made  known  to  the  Hong  merchant,  he  did  not 
attempt  an  apology  ;  but,  to  avoid  the  exposure  that 
would  be  made  by  a  controversy,  changed  them  at 
once  for  such  as  had  been  agreed  for. 

During  the  preceding  transactions,  I  had  been  en- 
gaged in  preparing  an  investment  of  silks  suitable  for 
the  American  market.  When  these  were  ready,  I  con- 
tracted for  their  freight,  and  to  embark  as  passenger  for 
Boston,  in  the  ship  Alert,  Captain  Ebbcts. 


PARTING  WITH   MR.  SIIALER. 


241 


CHAPTER    XVI. 


Parting  willi  Mr.  Siialcr.  —  Orinin  of  our  Acquaintancfi.  —  Observa- 
tions. —  F,ml)ark  for  Boston.  —  Touch  at  Nortli  Island.  — Pass  the 
Isle  of  Bourbon. —  Arrive  at  tlie  Cnpo  of  Good  II<ipo.  —  Reflec- 
tions.—  Departure  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Flope.  —  Airival  at 
Boston. —  Lelia  Byrd  sails  for  California.  —  Disaster.  —  DiUiculty 
of  niakin<''  Itepairs.  —  Arrive  at  the  Saiulvvich  Islands. —  Barter 
witii  till'  King. —  Place  the  Cargo  in  his  I'ower. —  IJis  honorable 
Conduct.—  K.vpedile  the  Taniana.  —  Mr.  Hudson. —  His  Vovaire, 
—  Return  and  Death.  —  Lelia  Byrd.  — Apology  for  the  Voyage. 

The  parting  here  wiili  my  long  tried,  much  es- 
teemed and  adbclionate  IViend,  Shaler,  was  not  unat- 
tended with  painful  emotions.  We  liad  shared  abun- 
dantly in  those  dangers,  toils,  and  anxieties,  no  less 
than  in  those  pleasures  and  recreations,  which  combine 
so  forcibly  to  cement  the  bonds  of  friendship.  Our 
accpiaintance  began  at  the  Isle  of  France,  in  the  year 
1800,  where  we  lived  together,  at  the  Consular  resi- 
dence, ten  months.  We  then  embarked  in  the  Cron- 
berg,  and  were  fellow-passengers  to  Copenhagen.  The 
voyage  now  narrated,  down  to  the  period  of  our  separ- 
ation, having  occu|)ied  more  than  two  years,  completed 
an  aggregate,  exceeding  four  years,  that  wc  had  lived 
together  in  the  closest  intimacy.  The  many  instances, 
that  had  come  within  om-  observation,  of  intimate 
friends'  becoming  alienated  from  dillering  in  opmion  on 
the  merest  trifles  in  the  world,  had  suggested  to  us  the 
propriety  of  pondering  well   on   oiu'  ability  to   sustain, 


VOL,    I. 


21 


242 


SKCOXD  VOYAGR.  — LKLIA  HYRD. 


harmoniously^  tlie  contemplatcMl  alliance,  in  aflairs  of 
greater  importance.  Nothing  short  of  our  mutual  ex- 
perience of  each  other's  temper  and  disposition,  could 
justify  the  presumption  implied,  of  the  power  to  main- 
tain the  harmony  retpiired,  in  a  voyage  of  ordinary  char- 
acter, between  two  persons,  equally  interested  in  the 
property,  equally  competent  to  taking  chaige  of  the 
nautical  and  mercantile  part  of  the  business,  and  on  a 
perfect  footing  of  equality,  in  every  thing  relating  to  the 
management  of  the  ship,  as  well  as  that  of  the  cargo. 
But  '..1  an  enterprise,  involving  so  much  difllculty  and 
danger,  so  nuich  to  perplex  and  irritate,  with  so  little 
success,  to  cheer  the  spirits  and  promote  equanimity  of 
lemjier,  —  that  we  should  be  able  to  accomplish  it  with- 
out a  rupture,  is  surprising  ;  how  imich  more  so,  then, 
thin  we  never  had  an  angry  dispute,  and  parted  with 
feelings  of  afTection,  increased  by  th(?  very  ditliculties 
and  euibarrassmenls  we  had  encountered  together. 

Having  end)arked  my  freight  on  board  the  Alert,  and 
that  ship  being  all  ready  on  the  4th  of  .January,  1804, 
we  dropped  down  the  river,  in  company  with  the  ship 
Hanover,  Ca|)tain  Harney,  with  whom  an  engagement 
was  made  to  keep  company  until  we  were  clear  of  the 
straits.  It  was  soon  perceived,  that  the  Alert  greatly 
outsailed  the  Hanover,  and  that  oin-  passage  was  much 
retarded  by  shortening  sail  for  her.  We,  however,  ar- 
rived together,  at  North  Island,  where,  while  engaged 
in  fdling  u()  our  water-casks,  numerous  Malays  camo 
down  to  the  Sumatra  shore,  to  exchange  their  fruits 
and  a  great  variety  of  monkeys,  for  old  clothes.  The 
object,  for  which  we  touched  at  this  island,  being  ac- 
complished, on  the  2Sth  the  anchor  was  again  weighed, 
and  the   sails   spread  to  the  brce/.e.     We  passed  Java 


I 


ARRIVK   AT   BOSTON, 


243 


Head  the  next  day,  came  in  sight  of  the  Isle  of  Bour- 
bon on  the  ^Ist  of  February,  and  arrived  in  'J'able  Bay, 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  on  the  J  0th  of  Marcli,  liaving 
seen  nothing  of  the  Hanover  since  the  evening  of  leaving 
Nurili   Island. 

Repeated  visits  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Ho])e  had  been 
productive  of  the  most  agreeable  associations  with  that 
delightful  jjlace  ;  and  the  renewal  of  acquaintance  with 
many  good  people,  whose  kindness  and  hospitality 
I  had  experienced  in  "  by-gone  days,"  caused  the  time 
to  pass  oft'  rpiickly  and  agreeably.  Such  are  among 
the  soothing  and  satisfactory  incidents,  occasionally  met 
with  by  those,  whose  business  is  on  the  ocean,  and 
which  tend,  if  not  to  obviate,  at  least  to  lessen  the 
tediinn  and  monotony  jicculiar  to  the  j)rofession. 

Having  passed  five  days,  very  pleasantly,  with  our 
friends  at  the  Cape,  we  bade  them  adieu  on  the  15th, 
and  sailed  for  Boston.  Oiu'  passage  was  marked  by  no 
interruption  to  the  fine  weather  and  smooth  sea  peculiar 
to  the  tract  of  ocean,  comprised  between  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  and  the  latitude  of  Bermuda.  Vet  sailing 
for  so  long  a  time,  with  fair  and  gentle  breezes,  without 
even  one  such  little  exciting  incident,  as  the  gale  which 
requires  the  topsails  to  be  reefed,  becomes  tiiesome  by 
its  monotony  ;  and  something  like  it  mciy  be  realized 
by  the  man  who  is  born  to  fortune,  reared  in  the  lap 
of  ease,  and  has  never  been  acquainted  with  aught  but 
life's  smiles  and  sunshine.  We  arrived  safely  at  Bos- 
ton on  the  I4tli  of  May,  1804.  Nearly  eight  years  had 
ela|)s(Ml  since  my  departure  from  home  ;  and  the  period 
had  been  prolific  of  events  of  opposing  characters,  and 
producing  corresponding  emotions,  which  can  be  prop- 


244 


SKCOND    VOYAr.a  — LHLIA    nVRD. 


erly  estimated  by  those  only  who  have  had  simihnr  ex- 
perience. \ 

My  invoice  of  silks  arrived  at  a  very  good  market, 
and  were  sold  advantageously.  Had  that  j)art  of  our 
adventure,  which  was  under  the  direction  of  my  friend 
Shaler,  done  as  well,  the  necessity  for  my  navigating 
again  would  have  been  obviated.  IJut  a  scene  of  dis- 
asters attended  him,  which  resulted  in  nearly  a  total 
loss  of  the  property  under  his  charge.  As  this  is  a 
part  of  the  Lelia  Byrd's  voyage,  so  intimately  connect- 
ed with  that  already  narrated,  as  to  form,  in  fact,  part 
of  a  whole,  I  have  considered  it  proper  to  give  the  out- 
lines of  it,  though  it  be  only  from  memory. 

A  few  days  after  my  departure  for  Canton,  Mr. 
Shaler  sailed  from  thence,  bound  to  the  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia, where  he  arrived  without  accident.  He  had 
been  on  that  coast  but  a  few  weeks,  and  had  disposed 
of  but  a  small  amount  of  cargo,  when,  unfortunately, 
the  ship  struck  on  a  shoal,  and  beat  so  heavily,  before 
getting  ofi',  as  to  cause  her  to  leak  alarmingly.  His 
situation  was  now  one  of  great  embarrassment.  To 
have  sought  relief  in  any  of  the  neighbouring  ports, 
after  such  notoriety,  would  have  been  subjecting  the 
vessel  and  cargo  to  seizure  ;  to  have  attemi)ted  to  reach 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  while  they  could  hardly  keep  the 
ship  afloat  in  smootii  water,  would  have  been  high- 
ly imprudent.  There  seemed,  then,  to  be  no  other 
alternative,  than  to  go  to  one  of  the  desert  islands  in 
the  neighbourhood,  land  the  cargo,  and  heave  the  ship 
out,  or  lay  her  on  shore.  They  succeeded  in  arriving 
at  one  of  the  group,  among  which  is  St.  Clement's. 
Here  they  found  a  snug  harbour,  which  ofi'ered  scarcely 
any  other  advantages  than   its   solitude,  and   its   shield 


orSASTER. 


245 


from  the  effects  of  sea  and  wind.  The  tide  did  not 
ebb  sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  come  to  the  leaks  by 
laying  her  on  shore  ;  and  in  attempting  to  heave  her 
keel  out,  she  filled  and  sank.  Fortunately,  the  water 
was  so  shoal  as  not  to  cover  the  deck  ;  and  she  was 
again  pumped  dry.  It  was  now  evident,  that  they 
could  not  make  such  repairs  as  would  allow  them  to 
prosecute  the  voyage  ;  and  to  stop  the  leaks  sufTicient- 
ly,  to  enaljle  them  to  reach  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
seemed  to  be  the  only  way  to  avoid  the  total  loss  of 
the  property.  The  repairs  they  were  able  to  make, 
were  done  in  so  imperfect  a  manner,  as  would  have 
made  it  unjustifiable  to  attempt  any  other  passage,  than 
one  where  they  might  presimie  on  good  weather  and  a 
fair  wind  all  the  way,  like  the  one  contemplated.  With 
these  advantages,  however,  it  was  not  without  incessant 
labor  at  the  jiumps,  that  they  were  able  to  reach  the 
Sandwich  Islands. 

An  attempt  to  repair  the  ship,  with  the  very  inade- 
quate means  which  were  available  here,  was  discour- 
aging, from  the  great  length  of  time  it  would  require. 
No  foreign  vessel  was  procurable,  to  return  to  the  coast 
with  the  cargo.  To  freight  a  ship  with  it  to  China, 
would  have  been  easy  ;  but  then  it  would  be  transport- 
ing it  to  where  the  loss  on  a  re-sale  would  be  very  heavy. 
In  this  dilenmia,  it  was  d(;cidcd,  as  a  choice  of  difiicul- 
ties,  to  l)arter  with  Tamaahmaah  the  Lelia  Byrd  for  a 
little  vessel  of  thirty  or  forty  tons,  which  had  been  built 
on  the  island.  Tiiis  was  a  negotiation  of  greater  mag- 
nitude, than  the  King  had  ever  before  participated  in  ; 
and  the  im|)ortance  of  which  was  sensibly  felt  by  him. 
To  place  a  cargo  of  such  value,  and  composed  of  such 
a  variety  of  articles,  so  lemj)ting  to  the  savage,  in  detail, 
21  * 


.4 


246 


SECOND   VOYAGE.  — LKI.I A   BVRD. 


and  of  such  inestimable  value,  in  the  aggregate,  in  the 
power  of  tliis  barbarian,  relying  entirely  on  his  honor 
for  its  restoration,  could  be  justified  only  by  the  press- 
ing necessity  which  existed.  The  confidence  |)laced 
in  this  Chief,  though  reluctantly,  was  proved  by  the 
event  to  have  been  well  merited  The  cargo  was  re- 
ceived into  his  store,  and  when  the  schooner  was  ready 
it  was  all  faithfully  and  honorably  delivered  to  the  person 
appointed  to  receive  it. 

To  the  schooner  was  given  the  name  of  the  (^ueen, 
Taniana,  and  Mr.  John  T.  Hudson,  a  young  man 
who  had  been  attached  to  the  ship  since  leaving  Val- 
paraiso, was  intrusted  with  the  charge  of  the  voyage. 
The  difliculties  of  such  an  enterprise  in  a  suitable  ves- 
sel have  been  already  narrated  ;  these  were  greatly  in- 
creased by  the  small  size  of  the  Tamana  and  the  con- 
sequent feebleness  of  the  crew.  Perseverance  and  in- 
dustry, however,  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Hudson  appear 
not  to  have  been  wanting  ;  but  prudence  forbade  his 
entering  a  port  of  strength  ;  and  the  sales  to  be  made 
among  the  missions  and  in  barter  with  the  Indians  were 
of  small  amount.  Nor  did  he  meet  with  any  success 
in  collecting  from  the  missionaries  any  part  of  the  sums 
due  from  them  for  goods,  with  which  Mr.  Shaler  had 
credited  them,  though  the  hope  of  recovering  these  had 
been  a  considerable  inducement  in  expediting  this  ves- 
sel. After  visiting  most  of  the  missions  in  California, 
and  navigated  its  coast  from  one  extremity  to  the  other, 
during  a  period  of  between  five  and  six  months,  witii- 
out  eflecti 


mg  any 


pati 


well  as  that  of  his  crew  being  exhausted,  and  his  pro- 
visions running  short,  he  retin'iied  in  safety  to  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.     Here  he  disposed  of  the  Tamana,  took 


I 


AroLucjy  FOR  the  voyage. 


247 


passage  to  China,  and  thence  to  the  United  States,  with 
but  a  small  sum  left  for  the  owners,  after  paying  all  the 
disbmsements.  Mr.  Slialer  had  preceded  him,  one 
year,  to  the  United  Slates,  and  wailed  there  his  arrival. 
The  tragical  end  of  Mr.  Hudson,  at  Providence,  soon 
after  his  arrival,  prevented  for  ever  the  desired  meeting. 
The  Lelia  liyrd  was  repaired  by  the  King  and  made 
two  or  three  voyages  to  China,  with  sandal-wood.  At 
length,  worn  out,  and  after  being  for  a  time  a  receiving 
ship  for  opium,  she  was  broken  up  or  sunk  at  Wampoa. 
Something  ought  to  be  said,  if  not  to  justify,  at  least 
to  extenuate,  the  undertaking  and  prosecuting  an  enter- 
prise, for  the  success  of  which,  violence  and  stratagem 
were  requisite.  It  is  notorious,  that  no  civilized  peo- 
ple on  the  face  of  the  earth  were  ever  subjected  to  so 
degrading  a  state  of  vassalage  as  the  Creoles,  or  native 
inhabitants  of  Spanish  America.  It  is  equally  notori- 
ous, that  they  were  sensible  of  it  and  were  grateful  to 
those  strangers,  who  siq)|)lied  iheni  wiih  clothing  at 
half  the  ordinary  prices  demanded  by  their  own  mer- 
chants, who  sympathized  with  them  and  made  known  to 
them  the  course,  which  their  countrymen  had  taken,  in 
precisely  similar  circumstances,  to  achieve  their  inde- 
pendence. As  it  respected  our  intercourse  with  this 
peo])le,  viewed  separately  froni  the  government,  it  was 
precisely  in  conformity  with  the  golden  rule  of  "  doing 
unto  others  as  in  like  circumstances  we  would  have  oth- 
ers do  unto  us."  Hence  we  lost  no  0])portunity  of  con- 
firming the  advocates  of  free  government,  and  convinc- 
ing the  wavering  of  the  self-evident  pro})osition,  that 
governments  were  instituted  for  the  happiness  of  the 
people,  and  not,  exclusively,  for  that  of  the  rulers  ;  that 
all   power  of  right  belongs  to  and  emanates  from  the 


24S 


PECOND  VOYAGE.  —  LELIA  BYRD. 


people,  whose  servants  tlie  rulers  are.  Consequently, 
when  by  force,  stratagem,  or  any  other  manner,  this  re- 
lation between  people  and  rulers  had  become  reversed, 
it  was  a  j)alpable  usnrjiation  on  the  part  of  the  latter, 
which  it  was  proper  and  becoming  to  resist  under  any 
circumstances,  but  more  especially  when  the  usurped 
power  was  used  to  oppress  and  enslave. 

To  give  lessons  to  this  people,  however,  on  the  re- 
lations of  governors  anc  ,ovcrned,  or  to  aid  them  in 
the  means  of  emancipation  from  tlie  degradation,  to  a 
sense  of  which  they  were  beginning  to  wake  up,  was 
not  the  object  of  our  voyage  ;  nor  did  we  anticipate 
the  difficulties  we  experienced.  We  had  ascertained, 
that,  for  several  years  previous  to  the  peace  of  Amiens, 
the  Spanish  colonies  had  become  so  destitute  of  the 
manufactures  of  I'liu'ope,  that  the  rigor  of  the  govern- 
ment to  prevent  their  entry  was  very  much  mitigated. 
And  it  was  the  exiHctation  of  a  continuation  of  this 
policy,  and  which  the  peace  of  Amiens  put  an  end  to, 
that  made  the  prospect  flattering,  and  induced  us  to  un- 
dertake the  voyage.  When  once  embarked  in  it,  there 
remained  to  us  the  choice,  only,  io  retreat  and  submit 
to  great  loss,  or  to  pursue  the  hazardous  course  nar- 
rated, and  take  oin-  chance  for  the  result.  That  result 
will  be  perceived,  by  the  preceding  narrative,  to  have 
been  in  no  degree  commensmate  with  the  hazard,  toil, 
and  anxiety  we  encountered. 

As  a  testimony  of  undeviating  fidelity,  it  is  only  a 
just  tribute  to  the  memory  of  (ieorgc,  the  black  man, 
to  say,  tiiat,  throughout  this  long  and  troublesome 
voyage,  he  performed  the  part  of  a  fiiilhful  ship-stew- 
ard ;  that  there  was  none  so  entirely  to  be  depended  on 
in  such  an  emergency  as  that  at  San  33iego,  and  that 


DEATH   OF  GEOllCiE. 


249 


liis  services  were  duly  appreciated.  His  habits  were 
expensive,  and,  nolwiilistanding  the  years  lie  had  been 
on  constant  pay  and  high  wages  with  me,  I  never  could 
persuade  hini  to  lay  by  any  thing.  He  accompanied  me 
from  China  to  Boston  in  the  Alert,  remained  with  me 
as  a  domestic  about  a  year  after,  and  then  died  at  Rox- 
bury,  and  is  buried  in  the  Uoxbury  cemetery. 


END   OF  vol..   I. 


